May Entitle Change
by Eloquent Nocturne
Summary: Shortly after the Promised day, Edward Elric receives an unexpected assignment. The recently war torn country makes new ties with England, and the young alchemist becomes an undercover student with the charge of protecting a troublesome Boy-Who-Lived. R&R
1. Prologue

*01-03-14 Edit

~This chapter has been edited since first being published. If waiting on an update, it might be worth skimming over this once again. Trying to tie up a few loose ends. :)

* * *

><p><strong>AuThOr NoTe:<strong>

**_Hi, a small note to all :)_**

**_Some events taking place towards the ending of Brotherhood are going to be altered. Not by much... but I need to make this story make a little bit of sense, don't I?  
><em>**

**_Time line: Just after the ending of Brotherhood. There are a few changes which will be revealed later within the next few chapters. Um, this is just the prologue, so the next chapters should be a good bit longer._**

**_One last note before you read.. I've already started a fic (Why I'm starting this one is still a mystery to me) where Edward and Al are thrown through the gate, but honestly that plot arc is used so much :/_**

**_This, I see less about and I'm going to do my best to put as many twist as I can to make it even more original.  
><em>**

**_Please bear with me on this journey :)_**

* * *

><p>The Fullmetal Alchemist tore a rather sticky piece of paper from his cheek as he blinked open his eyes, trying to remember just what it was he was doing and why there was an annoying buzzing sound in his ears.<p>

He looked down to see a pile of books lying messily on top of a frayed and battered desk, papers ripped out and wrote on in a messy, rushed scrawl. A cup of coffee sat off to the side, and he could smell the large amount of sugar that must have made up more than half of its actual contents.

Edward shook his head, blinking again as he tried to make the buzzing go away... Where was that exceedingly annoying sound coming from?

"...awake yet?"

The blonde groaned, turning to see the bored face of his commanding officer.

"I should have known it was your voice buzzing in my ear." Edward growled, turning around in his chair to look at the flaming bastard. _Heh._

"Glad to see that you're awake, Fullmetal," Mustang greeted, a cocky smile on his lips. "Although, I must say that I do feel terrible about waking you. I had no idea it was time for your nap."

"Shut up."

"Anyway," Mustang mused, getting back to the topic of why he'd actually stopped by the newly appointed Lieutenant Colonel's office. "Apparently, you have an assignment."

At this, Edward perked up. He had only been appointed for a few weeks, and most of the military's efforts were focused on cleaning up after the events that unfolded on the Promised Day, so an assignment was the last thing he expected to receive. Paper work, of course, but not an assignment.

"What is it?" He asked curiously, taking a yellowed packed from Mustang. He moved his research aside, clearing off just enough room on his desk to avoid burying, and most likely loosing, his first assignment.

"Well..." Mustang began, loosing his words before he could even form a sentence. Edward raised an eyebrow at his commanding officer's sudden discomposure. "Uh, you're just going to have to read it for yourself. It's quite the mouth full, and one I'm sure you don't want to hear from me."

"Probably right," Ed grumbled, though now he was eying the packet with a deep suspicion. He waved the colonel off so he could inspect it for himself.

As he made his way to leave, Mustang turned to face the teen. "Oh, and Fullmetal?"

"Hhm?"

"Don't uh...overreact. Grunman was serious when he wrote up this request," The look on Mustang's face was solemn, which only increased the teen's anxiousness. Regardless, he nodded his head and turned back to the packet, wondering just what the hell he was getting himself in to.

.

.

It had taken much less time for Fullmetal to react to his new assignment, and for that the soon to be appointed _General_ Roy Mustang was left amused. The blonde had already stomped out of his own office, packet held angrily in his hand, and headed down the hall of Central Command on his way to have a word or two with the Colonel. When the door to his office slammed open, Mustang was not surprised to see an fuming alchemist standing in its threshold.

"What," Fullmetal hissed, disdain and confusion evident, "..is this?"

"I believe that would be the assignment I handed you not ten minutes ago," Mustang stated, his chin resting on his palm atop a newly laid mountain of paperwork. Really, he couldn't wait for his promotion to be approved. He didn't see himself missing all the.._perks_ of being a colonel. Not at all.

"I bet you think this is funny, you bastard," Edward muttered, but the colonel could read his words just fine. Mustang sighed.

"I told you not to overreact," was the colonel's simply reply. "Grunman is being serious about this."

"Grunman has lost the little sanity he had left," Edward said, waving the packet in front of him for proof. "I've never even heard of this country!"

"Clearly," Mustang began, a surprised tone to his voice, "You haven't read the whole thing if all you're complaining about is not recognizing the country."

"Oh," Edward muttered darkly, "I've read the whole thing... it's a load of crap."

"Fullmetal..," Mustang warned. He was ammused in the beginning, keeping his cocky smirk, but now his patience was running thin. He didn't mind a good back and fourth, it kept his work days lively, but he didn't intend on doing it all day. That would be a waste of his time.

Edward, still standing in the threshold of the door, looked rather taken back. His posture had fallen and he looked at Mustang as if he had suddenly turned chamara. "You believe him?"

"It's my job," Mustang said, and the other alchemist could detect loyalty in the way he sounded so certain. "Besides, I've seen my proof."

"You've seen proof of this... this _magic?_" Edward questioned, all hints of anger had gone from his tone. Now, there was only disbelief.

"You could say that..."

"I don't have time for your riddles," Edward huffed, finally walking from the center of the doorway to go and collapse on to one of the sofas conveniently placed in the colonel's office. "This doesn't contin any logical sense to its entire being... and a school none the less."

The colonel sighed. Yeah, the whole situation was a bit unbelievable. They were suddenly becoming aware of a country that apparently existed on the other side of the world, one that none of Amestris had ever heard about or seen. One that wasn't included on any of their maps or charts. Now they were dealing with what these outsiders called _magic_, an alternate to alchemy that could bypass the laws of equivalent exchange without a second thought. On top of that, this notice had appeared in the form of a letter - delivered by owl.

_Who even does that?_

"So what are you going to do," Mustang asked, changing the atmosphere of the conversation. Edward looked up from his spot on the sofa, glaring at him as if it were obvious.

"Decline."

"You think that's wise?" A new voice questioned. It was an old, yet familiar voice that rang from where the alchemist had entered a few moments before. Edwards eyes snapped towards the noise, seeing a rather amused looking Grunman. The Fuhrer.

Grudgingly, Fullmetal stood with Mustang to salute the man who had just walked in. He respected the man, but that didn't mean he believed him.

"_Magic_ like this can't exist, it goes against every law an alchemist knows," Edward said, resisting the urge to lace every word with a venomous edge. "And last I recall, I'm here solely because of that fact."

Grunman walked over to sit in the sofa just across from Edward, gazing at him with collective, knowing eyes.

"Yes, and that's why it's not considered alchemy," Grunman said, choosing his words carefully. He knew it was vital to get this young man to believe what he was telling him. The future of their own country could possibly be at stake.

"It's illogical," Edward stated. "Physically impossible."

"I know," Grunman admitted. This was the cushion, one step back and two steps forward.

"Then why did you even write out this assignment if you know that already?" Edward questioned, his temper rising. He didn't appreciate being toyed with, not after everything he and his brother had lived through. It was like getting another slap in the face and being told to start over, that all his life's work were void. And if this was suppose to be some kind of prank, he did no think it humorous.

This time, it was another man who answered, appearing in the doorway with a starry, mystical look in his light blue eyes. "Because what I told him is nothing but the truth."

Edward glared at that man, not realizing at first just who he was looking at.

"Who the hell is this," Edward demanded, looking over the man in question. He'd never seen anyone dress like him, wearing what looked like a cross between a robe and a silk dress. It was almost insulting that the higher ups gave Edward grief about his red cloak, but they let that man walk in here like this?

With his long beard, pointed hat, and half moon spectacles - this man stuck out more than Edward ever could even if he purposely tried.

And trust him, there were time when he did.

Grunman passed him a halfhearted look for his disrespect, but said nothing else on that matter, moving to introduce the man. "This is Albus Dumbledore, and he's the outsider from England."

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><p><strong>Author Note:<em> Alright so here is the prologue! If this is your first time reading, please note that I have begun to edit this story so that I may continue it and bring it up to the standards that have been set for my by you lovely readers. <em>**

**_If I missed something obvious, or maybe even not so obvious, please let me know :) I love hearing from you guys. _**


	2. Recap and Tall Tales

*01-03-14 Edit

~The updates to these chapters continue. If I continue at this rate I may get through all the chapters and post another soon. Keep an eye out :)

*I don't really change the previous author's notes much, if I edit them at all. So if you have already gone through this once, just skip that.

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><p><strong>AuThOr NoTe:<strong>

**_Hi, thanks so much for reading :)_**

**_So, I'd just like to let you guys know that this story hasn't really been planned out yet. I have a-uh, _basic_ plot down, but the rest is all spur of the moment unless I get stuck. Don't worry, I actually do my best writing this way. Honestly, All of my greatest ideas are thought up in a fit of pure randomness. The problem is that I get all of these spur of the moment ideas (like this one) and I HAVE to write it down. If I don't, it will just continue to eat away at my very being until I can't deny the urge any longer. Therefore, more unfinished fanfictions are born. I do assure you, however, that I plan on finishing all of the fanfictions that I write. Eventually.  
><em>**

**_For those of you that DO like this story and don't feel like waiting, I would suggest reviewing and lending me some of your precious ideas and often kind words. Not so kind words are welcome as well, just not flaming. No one likes to be flamed, except maybe Mustang... see what I did there? Hahaha..ha..Anyway, I usually update the fics with the most reviews first (Yes I do consider the numbers of chapters out), because I feel that more people are waiting and ugg it kills me. But anyway, I'm getting off toppic. _**

**_Thanks so much for those that did review. You guys gave me a lot to think about as far as Ed's role in the future events. Oh, um and I think this will be set in Harry's sixth year.  
><em>**

And, um...

"Blah blah," regular speach

_Italicized sentences_ - thoughts

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><p>Previously~<p>

"Who the hell is this," Edward demanded, looking over the man in question. He'd never seen anyone dress like him, wearing what looked like a cross between a robe and a silk dress. It was almost insulting that the higher ups gave Edward grief about his red cloak, but they let that man walk in here like this?

With his long beard, pointed hat, and half moon spectacles - this man stuck out more than Edward ever could even if he purposely tried.

Grunman passed him a halfhearted look for his disrespect, but said nothing else on that matter, moving to introduce the man. "This is Albus Dumbledore, and he's the outsider from England."

* * *

><p>"<em>This<em>... is the outsider from England?" Edward echoed, looking pointedly at the old man. To say he was an odd one was an understatement, and he hadn't even properly met the man to fully determine if he was, in fact, some withering nutcase. _Then again, if he managed to convince Grunman of this magic crap, maybe they're both nutcases._

"Yes," The old man replied. There was a kind smile on his frail looking lips, and if Edward knew any better he'd say he saw the reminisce of a smirk. "My name, as introduced by your Mr. Grunman, is Albus Dumbledore. May I take a seat?"

Grunman nodded politely and motioned for the newcomer to sit besides Edward, a decsision he wasn't particularly fond with. With an exasperated sigh, Edward moved over to the far side of the sofa, leaving more than enough room for this Albus Dumbledore to sit down. It was an awkward silence.

"I take it you are Edward Elric?" Dumbledore asked, looking at the blonde alchemist. Edward nodded grudgingly, no point in lying to the outsider, not with the Fuhrer and soon to be General in the same room. He glared at the old man with a sense of bitter distaste. "Has he been given his assignment yet?"

"Yes, I gave it too him roughly fifteen minutes ago-" Mustang said, a more casual business-like tone taking over his once cocky voice. It was the tone he used when he was dealing with rather uncooperative people, and the same one he used when in the presence of his commanding officer. He leaned forward with his face resting on his palm, looking disturbingly bored.

"And I already told you that I decline," Edward interrupted, crossing his arms firmly across his chest as he waited on the debate that was sure to come.

"On, come on boy," Grunman urged, a playful tone to oddly alluring voice, as he stretched out into a more comfortable position on the sofa. "It would be a great benefit to our country, especially considering what this man has to offer."

"Magic doesn't exist," Edward growled, glaring at the men in the room, causing a short moment of silence that was soon interrupted by the amused chuckle of Albus Dumbledore. The Fullmetal Alchemist's gaze locked on to that of the old mans in an almost hostile way. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing. I apologize," Albus said, clearly amused. "It's just your reaction isn't what I expected."

Edward just stared at the old man, much like how he was looking at Mustang moments ago. It wasn't long before his confusion had turned into a blind rage, and it just so happened to be Dumbledore who set him off.

"Well how the hell do you expect me to react when I get something like this shoved in my face?" Edward hissed, his already annoyed banter growing louder with each word, yellow packet waving through the air for added emphasis. "When I'm suddenly told that all I thought to be set in cold stone is irrelivant, tossed aside in a single moment as I'm introduced to this _nonsense_ you call _magic?_"

Dumbledore said nothing as the blonde continued to let out his frustration, the other two officers watching from a safe distance. "And then you want us to get involved in your own political and war affairs, as if we haven't had enough of our own? As if we aren't in a state of recovery?"

"Fullmetal, that's enough," Mustang ordered, passing a clear warning to the enraged teen. He returned the look with his own stone faced glare.

"Brainwashed bastard," The blonde muttered, though he was unsure if anyone actually caught his words. Mustang sighed, breaking yet another tension filled silence.

"The young lad does have a point, I'm afraid," Dumbledore admitted, looking towards the Colonel, who could see understanding in his eyes. Edward looked at the man, shocked, wondering just what he was up to. It was rare that the older crowd agreed with him. "I am asking for a lot, more than I should."

Now, Edward wasn't sure if the old man was admitting to anything, or if he was just digging himself a deeper hole. Either way, the conversation was taking a slight turn - a twist in the game. Mustang motioned for Dumbledore to say whatever was on his mind.

"It's my understanding that your country is rather isolated from the rest of the world, and moreover that before I made contact with you, there were no records of England here. We had very little on your country as well, and that which we did know came from an old friend of mine," Dumbledore explained. Edward followed along. Maybe he would get answers, or at least some information that didn't sound like gibberish.

"A friend?" It was Mustang that asked the question. Apparently, he was less averse to simply sitting by and watching after all.

"Yes, and a fairly old friend at that; However, I think it best we get back to him later. Although," Dumbledore mused, there was a nice shimmer in his eyes. "It was he who taught me about your alchemy, and thus gave me the idea of seeking your help."

"So you just trusted this man's word... and looked us up? How the hell did this _friend_ even manage to get to this England of yours in the first place? With all the war that's been going on there's hardly any way to make it past our borders!" Edward questioned, finding the flaw in his explanation. _It's just one more step back for him in his little imaginary world of magic. I wonder how he's going to get himself around this one?_

"My friend has lived a long life, much longer than most," Dumbledore countered, and those in the room could feel the airiness in his voic_e _as he recalled some distant memory. "I'm sure you are by now familiar with what's called the Philosopher's stone?"

There was a sudden dryness in the blonde alchemist's voice when he spoke, an age that shouldn't have been present in a boy of only sixteen. "What of the stone?"

From there, Dumbledore sensed he was putting himself on a topic that had rather not be discussed, but with an encouraging look from Grunman, he continued. "My dear friend told me about that stone; of the horrors it can produce, but also of the good it can do if in the proper hands... about the aspect of obtaining immortal life."

"Those stones should never be created! It doesn't matter what they _could _do, they were never meant to come into existence!" Edward hissed, again letting his emotions cut through his words, backing his anger with personal experiences. Figures the old man knew some other bastard who was after the same old damn thing.

Dumbledore looked at the teen with the most serious look, one that was almost mournful and full of empathy. His own waves of cloudy blue eyes sank into Edward's deep pools of liquid gold, and somewhere along the way the teen's anger vanished. "He quite agreed with that same philosophy, which is why he left your country."

Edwards eyes snapped open, and for a moment he was surprised. "What do you mean he _left...? _Continue with your story, old man."

Dumbledore couldn't help but reply with a steadily growing smirk, "With pleasure." The blonde waited as patiently as he could for the outsider to continue with his tale. Mustang, too, was being drawn in as well. Now all that was left was the final tug, and Albus Dumbledore would have the young alchemist on his side.

"The fellow of this tale left your country when he had learned of what truly went into the creation of one of those stones, hating what had to be done, but still seeking it's power. He refused to lower his morales to the same level as the very few who knew, and had created stones for themselves... but he still had a goal to fulfill. His desire of knowledge and immortality was great enough that he poured the entirety of his being into his research, but that eventually lead him to dead ends, pushing him to explore the rest of the world for some other method of alchemy that would create the stone without the original... ingredients." Dumbledore stopped here for a moment, letting the heaviness of his tone sink in before continuing, this friend of his reminding him almost regrettably of Lin Yao. "He crossed what you now call Xing, going even further east until eventually he stumbled across the beginnings of England. There, he found what he needed. He found magic."

"How did he find England and no one else? Why aren't there any records of your country if someone can just stumble on in?" Edward continued to question. It just didn't add up to him. He didn't get it, not one bit.

Dumbledore steadied his gaze before continuing. "The exact circumstances of how this discovery came to be is mostly unknown. However, it is my guess that whatever force kept out two worlds apart for so long was not strong enough to keep the magic and thirst for knowledge coursing through his veins at bay. There are many strange happenings in this world, and I believe this to be one of them. I will leave it at that."

No one spoke to argue. In the intense silence that followed, Mustang was made aware of draft coming through his window. With a tiresome sigh, he got up only to be stopped by Dumbledore.

"I'll get it. I suppose this can count as proof for our young Mr. Elric," Dumbledore said, gaining the attention of the other three in the room as he reached into his robe. He pulled out a long, slender piece of wood and stretched out his hand. In Edward's eyes, he was looking at a stick; a stick being held by a bruised and withered looking hand.

With a simple wave of this stick the window opened, and then closed back tighter than before, bringing with it the sound of wood colliding softly with stone. When Dumbledore put away the delicate looking piece of wood, the draft was gone and two alchemist were left staring in its wake. Mustang was still standing near the window, his arm still half outstretched. The Fullmetal Alchemist clenched the fabric from the sofa in his fist, letting out the little amount of air left in his lungs in a single movement.

_What the hell just happened?_

_._

_.  
><em>

"Alphonse?" Edward called, walking into the dark living room of what was now his apartment. He didn't exactly like the idea of sticking in one place for long, but he's been needed and Central, and thus a place to stay was a necessity. Risembool wasn't an option, and it didn't make much sense to pay for an overpriced hotel. Still, he did miss the freedom of travel.

Edward sighed as flicked on the nearest lamp, seeing the sleeping form of his younger brother sprawled out on the couch. _I don't understand why he keeps doing this..._

"Alphonse..." Edward said again, this time more demanding than before. The younger blonde stirred, blinking open a single, sleepy eye. Edward couldn't help but smile, it was nice seeing those familiar eyes... even if he had lost his _shit of a father_ to get them back.

Edward shuddered, memories from the Promised Day flooded his mind.

.

_FLASHBACK_

_._

_The battle with Father had finally come to an end with the combined efforts of Edward and Greed, bringing Father to his own demise. They were still in Central, Edward clutching his bleeding flesh arm with his automail one. He was so close- so close to loosing everything in a single moment. He'd been lucky. There was an explosion, and it had almost destroyed the little automail he had left, leaving it nearly unusable. Winry was going to kill him, but at least the fighting was over.  
><em>

_Edward sighed in relief, but it felt strange. There was still a silence lingering in the air, a sense that something was wrong. Edwards turned, his instincts pulling him towards his brother. "Alphonse?"_

_He turned to see Mei leaning over Alphonse's armor, shaking him with all the might she had. He was just laying there, still as he's ever been. Why was he just laying there? Panicked, Edward sprinted towards where he lay on the ground, ignoring the growing pain in his arm. _What's going on?

_"What happened?" Edward demanded, looking towards the tear streaked face of his Xing friend. She just looked up at him, unable to find the words to speak. "Alphonse!"_

_Edward dropped to his knees, still calling out his younger brothers name. Something was wrong, something was terribly wrong. _Are we out of time? _Without another thought, Edward took the helmet of the suit of armor, peering inside the darkness that lie within. At that moment_, _Edward's blood ran cold. _

_"The seal.." Edward whispered, his voice shaking as he stared down with wide eyes at the blood seal that bound his younger brother's soul to this suit of armor. It was almost completely faded, and there was a crack running through its middle, caused from the earlier explosion. "No. No, no, no! Not yet."_

_Hohenhiem made his way over, cautiously looking over the two. His calm facade was only lingering, threatening to break away at any moment. He leaned forward, resting a comforting hand on his eldest son's shoulder. He didn't seem to notice his father's presence at all. _

_"Not yet!" Edward yelled, his anger ringing though the battered battlefield, gaining looks of confusion from the ones still in the area; the mix of Briggs and Central Command soldiers. In the distance, Edward thought he caught sight of Mustang and Riza passing him a confused look. They were all clueless to what was going on, having only the victory against Father on their mind. "I need more time!"_

_He knew, as well as his father, that this wasn't like the other times Alphonse's soul had taken a temporary lapse. There was a sickening feeling in the pit of Edwards stomach, his gut telling him that this time, his little brother's soul wasn't coming back. There was just too much damage already done to the seal, too much wasted time._

_Edward forced himself up, despite the protest from Hohenhiem, and turned to face his father. All of the teen's composure was gone, completely destroyed to reveal just how shaken up he was, how horrified he felt. _

_"What... do I do?" Edward demanded, his feeling of loss only deepened by the amount of blood he was loosing. When he pulled out the metal bar that impaled his arm it wasn't a clean job. Hohenhiem looked at his son, somehow managing to keep the calm look in his old eyes, if only softer. He placed his hand back on his son's shoulder, gripping tightly in an attempt to bring the boy back to his senses. "I need to think... dammit what do I do?"  
><em>

_"Nothing," Hohenhiem said, pushing past the disbelief in his sons eyes as his shoulders went slack. Before his son could argue, he added, "If you think I'm going to let you try and bring his soul through the portal and risk your life _again_, you're more naive than I thought." Despite his words, his tone was soft. Still, it wasn't long before his words set in and Edward's despair and confusion turned into anger._

_"I can't just let him die!" Edward snapped, glaring at his father. The onlookers seemed to be getting curious now, attracted by the noise the young boy was making, still oblivious.  
><em>

_"I know, Edward," Hohenhiem said, taking a step back from his son. Edward looked at him questioningly, nothing was making sense in his mind. He had to get his brother back, and he'd happily pay any price from Truth before he would allow himself to idly stand by and watch his little brother die. Why was he getting in the way? "I'm sorry."_

_Edward looked at the man, shocked.  
><em>

_"You've done more than enough while I was gone, taking care of Trisha and Alphonse when I couldn't. I'm proud of you, Edward," Hohenhiem said, smiling at the look on his son's face. "But now it's about time I take up the responsibility of taking care of our family."_

_Hohenhiem took another step back from his son, just as it clicked in Edward's mind what he was going to do. "No! You can't... Alphonse will never forgive you!" Edward shouted, taking a shaking step towards the man that was ready to sacrifice his life and use the one material the brothers vowed would never aid them in getting Alphonse's body back."You idiot!"  
><em>

_He was going to open the portal, the gate; he was going to bring Alphonse back with the stone and his own life, the life of the only parent they had left. _

_"I've lived long enough, let me be a father to you in the very end," Hohenhiem said, the smile he held was still in place, but fading. Edward tried to run towards him, an effort to stop the man before he attempted a transmutation, but it was too late. Some strong force pulled him back, and he turned to see the determined eyes of Alex Armstrong, one of the few who had finally realized what was going on. Edward struggled against his iron grip, but it wasn't enough to break free. "Tell Alphonse I'm sorry, but I'm doing this for the both of you. I want you to be happy."_

_"Don't be stupid!" Edward yelled, rage still ringing in his voice. "I can't let you do this! You can't give up your own life, or the life of those still within the stone!"  
><em>

_"The lost souls of Xerxes are willing to help bring back Alphonse, as he was willing to risk himself to defeat the Homunculus that caused them all these years of pain," Hohenhiem said, and gave his son one last encouraging look. Edward hardly heard the words, the only thought running through his head was that he was about to loose the father he had just gotten back. He stopped struggling as tears of pain, hurt and anger ran down his face.  
><em>

_All Edward could do was watch as his father started the transmutation, effortlessly creating an array in the ground beneath his feet. The onlookers, soldiers and friends alike, watched the scene in awe. Before all went white, Edward had just enough time to yell one more word, "IDIOT!"_

_._

_._

Edward opened his eyes slowly as he pushed the memories from that day aside. Either way he looked at what Hohenhiem did, he was grateful to his father, but he still felt in his heart that there could have been another way. _I should have done something._

"Brother?" Alphonse asked as he sat himself up, slowly at first until Edward helped him the rest of the way. When Alphonse came back, he was severely malnourished, though he was making a quick enough recovery. He was weaker than he was use to, but he was coping just fine, even considering the guilt and betrayal he felt for Hohenhiem's actions. It had already been two weeks, and Alphonse was still trying to block out the event altogether, still recovering from the initial shock of not seeing his father when he opened up his eyes.

"Yeah. What are you doing sleeping on the couch, huh?" Edward scolded, trying to bring up the mood. Alphonse looked tiredly at the clock, noting that it was just past four in the aftrenoon."

"I just fell asleep, why are you home so early?" Alphonse asked. It was rare that the older brother ever returned before dark when he worked full shifts, especially when he assisted with the cleanup of Central.

Edward groaned, running a twitching hand down his face. He hoped to enjoy at least a little more time of peace before he was forced to tell his brother about his... assignment. Alphonse couldn't help but chuckle at the face his brother was making.

"It's not funny dammit!" Edward ranted, before his steam ran out. "I've got to pack. I've been given an assignment to take care of some, uh, _foreign affairs_."

.

.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author Note: Yay, another one down :) <strong>_

_**Uhh this chapter was soo hard to write. Before anyone starts bashing, I'd like to comment on a few things. **_

_**I hated killing of Hohenhiem, but it was necessary so Ed could keep his alchemy. Besides, he was destined to just pass away later on, and It just seemed more fatherly like for him to go this way, ya know? At least he got to give something back to his sons for all those many years of being away. Oh, and that comment Ed first made about Hohenhiem before the flashback, yeah that has a double meaning, so don't get mad at me for bashing Ed's dad, cuz they aren't my words. **_

_**I'm still conflicted on whether or not I wanted Edward to have his automail or not, but in the end I decided to keep it. Eh, why not?**_

_**I decided to use a few lines from the anime, the second to last episode of Brotherhood to be exact. You may have noticed. ;) Some of them were so touching, even the ones used when Ed uses his potty mouth, at least he finally accepted Hohenhiem as his dad :)**_

_**Also, Idk how to spell Lin/Ling's name. Japanese spell it Lin aparently, but Wikipedia and English say Ling. So, I just put Lin.  
><strong>_

_**Sorry if things are jumpy. This chapter gave me issues, but I promise the next ones will go more smoothly and all the rest of the details WILL be explained in the next chapter. This one was getting too long, so I decided to end it here. Sorry for the cliffy.**_

_**Lastly, thanks for reading. Drop a review? I even got more creative with my notes. [Which need to be shortened, I know]  
><strong>_

_**Ja ne~**_


	3. Before Departure

*01-03-14 Edit

~The updates to these chapters continue. If I continue at this rate I may get through all the chapters and post another soon. Keep an eye out :)

*I don't really change the previous author's notes much, if I edit them at all. So if you have already gone through this once, just skip that.

* * *

><p><p>

**AuThOr NoTe:**

**_Hi, thanks so much for reading :)_**

**_I'm going to sound so selfish when I say this, but please guys if you favorite leave a review? I am overjoyed that so many people are favoriting this story, really I am. It makes my day to know I have readers. I just feel kind of anxious when only a few of these people give me feed back. I know that I only have two chapters up, and I'm not expecting you guys to spam me with reviews. All I ask is that if you favorite, leave a review? Just tel me what you like or don't like so that I know if I'm taking this in the right direction or not. I really appreciate it, even to the guys who just read and move on._**

**_Anyway, a few asked me if Ed kept his automail. Sorry that I didn't make that more clear. In the actual anime, Alphonse trades his soul for Ed's arm when his automail breaks and he get's trapped. Last chapter, I just had Alphonse's seal get damaged so that I could avoid the whole scenario. Then, Hohenhiem used his life, so Edward never made that last visit to see Truth._**

**_So, YES, Edward still has his automail.  
><em>**

"Blah blah," regular speach

_Italicized sentences_ - thoughts

* * *

><p>Previously~<p>

"I just fell asleep, why are you home so early?" Alphonse asked. It was rare that the older brother ever returned before dark when he worked full shifts, especially when he assisted with the cleanup of Central.

Edward groaned, running a twitching hand down his face. He hoped to enjoy at least a little more time in peace before he was forced to tell his brother about his...assignment. Alphonse couldn't help but chuckle at the face his brother was making.

"It's not funny dammit!" Edward ranted, before his steam ran out. "I've got to pack. I've been given an assignment to take care of some, uh, _foreign affairs_."

* * *

><p>.<p>

.

When the doorbell to the boy's tiny apartment rang the next morning, Edward got up to answer it begrudgingly, already knowing who would be waiting on the other side. With a steely calm, Edward looked out at the man before him in a rather unkind way, the dull morning light shadowing his features.

It wasn't that Edward Elric hated Dumbledore, he just didn't trust him any more than he trusted the previous Fuhrer, King Bradly. There was an unsettling characteristic to the old man, one that put the Fullmetal Alchemist on a constant state of high alert. Perhaps it was the way his eyes seemed to see straight through a person's very soul, digging out the deepest, darkest fragments of their past. Or, perhaps it was just his heavy demeanor, the effortless calm that always seemed to follow him.

Edward shook his head, he was over thinking his view of the headmaster. He may be a bit unsettling, but not intimidating. After facing too many chimera to count, sadistic serial killers, homunculi, and overconfident commanding officers, this old man was merely a silver strand in his steadily growing knot of complications.

"This is your brother?" Dumbledore asked, looking over the younger Elric with a sense of morbid fascination. It disturbed Edward that the present Fuhrer Grunman had given the man a few '_harmless_' details about their past. It did nothing less than gain both elder men an earful later when he found out. Surprisingly, Dumbledore took the telling off rather calmly, apologizing for prying into the younger boy's past.

"_Yes_," Edward said, making it very clear in the tone of his voice that Alphonse wasn't anyone to be messed with. He glared daggers as he tightened his fingers around his small luggage bag. Why Dumbledore had to accompany the colonel when they picked him up was still a mystery to him, and it did nothing to improve his mood. He didn't like having the man here, so close to his home and the brother he fought years to get back. He made a point to show his dissatisfaction.

Alphonse, refusing to let his brother leave without getting at least one glance at the man that was taking him away, insisted on trailing behind Edward. Now, Dumbledore stood outside staring down at them with a kind expression as Edward looked past him towards the car parked out on the street.

_Damn,_ Edward thought bitterly, standing between the two. _And now it's raining._

Sure enough, just as he had that thought a loud boom of thunder tore through the sky as the rain drizzled lightly towards the ground. Alphonse jumped, his hearing still sensitive from not being in use for so long. Edward passed him a worried glance, which Alphonse waved off with a pleasant looking smile. The action didn't go unnoticed by Dumbledore, but he said nothing.

"Nice to meet you," Alphonse said, trying his best to sound cheerful, covering his distaste of Edward being sent away so soon after getting his body back. He would rather them be together, but his older brother insisted that he stay home until he returned, or at least until Alphonse was fully recovered. He tugged at his shirt, trying to distract himself.

"You as well," Dumbledore said politely, gesturing then for the older Elric to follow him to the car. With an almost sad smile, Edward gave his brother a parting hug before saying his goodbye. Dumbledore continued towards the car, giving the two a moment alone.

"It won't be too long," Edward promised. "I'll finish up with what the old coot wants me to do and I'll be right back here before you even have time to miss me."

Alphonse sighed, but gave his brother an encouraging smile none the less. "We'll miss you, even the Colonel."

Edward scoffed, glancing at the man sitting in the drivers seat of the car waiting on the road. "That bastard won't miss me, he'll miss having someone to dump all his paperwork on."

Alphonse chuckled at that, and Edward did everything he could to remember that moment. It had been so long since he'd seen his brother like this, laughing in his own body. He looked so much like he did when he was younger, with slightly darker hair an eyes than his own. He hated having to leave him now. Still, both his brother and those at Central Command encouraged him to take up the assignment, so he didn't feel as if he had much choice.

"You better get going Brother, be safe." Alphonse said, giving him one last smile before sending him off, waving with as much strength and encouragement as he could put into that single gesture.

"Always am," Edward teased, waving goodbye as he turned to walk towards the car, ignoring the light rain that was starting to soak through his shirt. It would be a while before Edward saw his brother again, he knew it.

.

The ride back to Central was a tense one full of unspoken questions. Edward was still being briefed even as they rode, unwillingly going over mission details that he would need before he left his own country. With each new command the colonel gave him, Edward felt himself sigh. It was the same crap he was use to hearing, and it wasn't as if he didn't know it all already.

"Don't bring harm to innocent civilians." _Duh._

"Blend in."_ Take another shot at my pride, you bastard.  
><em>

"Report any suspicious behavior made towards your ward(1)."_ You think I'm an idiot don't you..._

"Do not reveal your authority unless it is absolutely necessary."_ Damn, that just ruined my entertainment.  
><em>

"Send updates about your assignment regularly." _I bet you're always just ITCHING to hear from me, aren't you?_

"And lastly," Mustang smirked, looking behind the seat to make eye contact with the blonde. "You are to follow all orders given to you by _both_ Central Command and Albus Dumbledore."

Edward had managed to drone the beginnings of Mustang's little list, but this one caught the alchemist's attention. His eyes snapped open, fixing themselves on the old man sitting in the front passenger seat. He would be taking orders from that old coot? Edward groaned, but didn't argue. He knew it was pointless. He had already agreed to all he was being told to do.

Still, he dreaded his assignment: the protection of a boy known as Harry Potter. _And also the stripping of my pride,_ thought Edward bitterly, putting him into an even worse mood.

The second the car had stopped, finally reaching Central, Edward had bolted out of the back seat before the engine had even been turned off. The light drizzle had by now turned into a heavy pour, but Edward made no move to reach for an umbrella. He insisted instead on stalking right on through the rain and wind as his feet stomped heavily on wet pavement all the way to the front gate. He stood inside dripping wet as he waiting for the Colonel and the old man to catch up, his arms crossed to express his impatience.

Sheska passed as he waited, but didn't dare offer any greeting, clutching the file she was holding even tighter as she hurried past. She could have sworn she saw steam rising from the boy, and she was sure it wasn't due to alchemy.

Edward didn't want to come back to Central Command, but there were a few various items in his office that he couldn't leave without. Mustang apparently had something to pass on to the young Lieutenant Colonel after the last briefing with Grunman as well. He could only imagine what it would be.

When the two finally caught up, Edward marched dutifully towards his office, trying his best to keep a decent pace. The slow walk that Mustang and Dumbledore kept was getting on his nerves, and he knew it was only because of the old wizard. When his office was in sight he quickened his step, walking straight behind his desk to look through a couple drawers, piling up various notes that were to be stuffed into his personal, leather bound packet.

In no way did he intend to fully stop his research during the course of this assignment. Sure, he would be severely limited on resources, but he would at least be able to get some of it done. He grinned as he opened another drawer, pulling out a few books on alkahestry and adding it to his collection that he would be bringing to England. He would have to convince Mustang later to send the books that he was still waiting to arrive from Xing, a gift from Lin that he intended on adding to his research.

Edward wondered briefly if he should combined this _magic_ in with his research, but quickly pushed the thought aside. They were too different, and probably shouldn't be brought together. Besides, he still didn't feel comfortable with magic. He was forced into accepting its existence, but it still didn't sit well with the alchemist who lived his life based on a science.

And as Dumbledore explained in one of their briefings, magic and science rarely intertwined smoothly with each other.

"Are you ready yet, Fullmetal?" Mustang asked, peeking in to see Edward stuffing a few more of his notes into his leather packet. Edward scowled, dismissing the annoyed voice of his superior as he wound the cord of the packet securely in place.

"Yeah, I'm done," Edward sighed, walking back to the others carrying his packet of notes and three good sized books along with him. Dumbledore eyed them curiously, wondering just what he intended on doing with them. Admittedly, it was odd for him to see a young person so insistent on willingly hanging on to books and notes, much less reading or writing them in the first place.

They walked then to the room where Grunman was waiting, the same room that Mustang had none too recently been cornered by the late Fuhrer, King Bradly just before the war against Father had fully picked up pace. For Mustang, the room sent him plunging into unwanted memories.

Edward sat lazily into a chair towards the middle the long table where he hoped no one would sit. Grunman was already seated at the head near the window, and Dumbledore decided to sit to his right. Mustang pulled out a chair nearest to the door and sat stiffly, ready to get this final briefing over with perhaps just as much as Edward did.

"I'm glad you finally agreed," Grunman commented, opening the manila packet which contained the assignment details and placing the contents on the table for him to sort through. He pulled out a picture and slid it across the table to Edward. "Very wise choice, my boy." He smiled kindly as he said this, a pleased look on his face. Edward resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

He still felt a bit of pride, sure- even if only a little- for being the only one seemingly able to complete this task. However, that didn't mean he liked it. Not only would it be pulling him away from the resources needed to conduct his research, but it would pull him away from Alphonse. Along with that, magic went against every single truth that Edward associated with the world, and he didn't like being forced to change the way he set his beliefs.

"So," Edward mused, forcing his glance towards the picture of a incredibly large structure. "What exactly am I looking at?"

Dumbledore moved to rest his chin onto his palm, a satisfied grin overtaking his once collected lips. He watched as Fuhrer Grunman continued, passing a sheet of paper down the blonde as he did so.

"That is where you will be assigned," Grunman explained, wondering if it hadn't been obvious already. Edward blinked, looking again at the picture before him. It looked nothing like how he imagined the _school_ to be at all. It was a _castle_, and not a place that Edward could see children being taught. Then again, Dumbledore didn't exactly seem like the average Joe, why would he expect anything else from the institute where his madness was being spread. And if the school did reflect anything of its Headmaster, well... Edward shuddered the thought.

Edward look one last glance at the picture before quickly passing it back to Grunman. For a second, he swore something, a bird perhaps, actually moved as it sat in the sky above one of the school's many towers. Edward convinced himself it was just a trick of the eye, hoping not to see a picture like that again.

As if to silently mock him, Grunman passed him another photo, this one of the outside of an old looking apartment building. He glanced at it before quickly passing it back.

"You may also be spending a bit of time there, depending on Albus' wishes later on," Grunman explained. Edward nodded before shooting a weary glance towards the man just mentioned. He smiled in return.

"You wouldn't happen to have a map, would you," Edward asked, "or a blueprint of the interiors?"

Dumbledore glanced up, ready to answer the curious question. He opened his mouth to speak, but then closed it when he heard a soft, almost hesitant knock on the door. Mustang flinched, clearly not expecting the sudden noise. He sent a glare in the door's general direction as if the person on the other side could feel its intensity.

"Come in," Gunman said, his voice raising just enough to carry through the room, and further on through the door. A second later, a nervous looking Sheska peeked inside.

"Um, hello," she greeted, bowing slightly at the higher ranking officers and her Fuhrer, casting a weary glance towards the oddly dressed old man she hadn't seen before. "I'm just making my rounds, Sir. Can I get you anything?"

Grunman smiled, turning towards Dumbledore, "Anything for you?"

"A cup of tea would be lovely," he said, passing Sheska a kind look.

"Fuhrer?" Sheska asked politely, "What about you?"

"Tea for me as well," he replied, a thoughtful look on his face as if he were thinking of some distant memory. He came back to the present with a notable jerk and refocused his steady gaze towards the other two in the room. "What about you two?"

"Coffee," Fullmetal said, suddenly craving the caffeine. It would do his headache wonders. "_Lots_ of sugar."

The focus was then centered on Mustang, who shifted his weight uncomfortably. He knew he couldn't ask for what he really wanted, something that would calm his nerves down considerably. "I'm fine," he muttered, though he desperately wanted something a little _stronger_ than coffee.

"Alright, then," Sheska said quietly, shutting the door softly as she hurried out. She came back shortly after with their request, the caffeinated drinks calming down the tense atmosphere almost immediately. There was just something about the power of tea and coffee that worked those kinds of miracles.

It was, however, an odd looking sight. Grunman, with his polished military uniform and stern looking features, sitting perfectly upright next to a man who looked his complete opposite. Dumbledore, wearing today a set of pale blue robes with a matching hat, his beard tied with a silver fastening and signature half moon spectacles sitting on top of his crooked nose. He gazed at the others with an all too happy looking smile. Edward was slouched forward, resting his face on his palm with his elbow next to the freshly made coffee, dressed in his usual attire. He still wasn't fond of wearing his official uniform.

And then there was Mustang, sitting stiffly in his chair wearing his uniform pants and black undershirt, abandoning his coat on the rack next to the door. All the while, the old men were sipping tea and Edward was glaring at his coffee, willing it to cool down so that he could drink it.

"As I was saying," Dumbledore said, putting the tea down. "I'm sure we can supply you with some reference."

Edward nodded, cautiously taking a sip of his coffee before quickly putting it back down wishing he hadn't. _Still too hot. I don't understand how some people can just drink this stuff straight out the damn pot without burning off their tongue. _Edward thought's were bitter, making the others wonder why there was such a strong look of resentment in the younger alchemist's eyes.

"Anything else?" Edward asked, trying to speed the rest of this little chat along. He was growing restless and they'd probably only been sitting there for all of ten minutes.

"Yes, the nature of your assignment," Grunman responded. "As you're already aware it is a bit unusual."

"And demeaning..." Edward muttered, but it went unheard.

"You will be posing as a temporary transfer student," Dumbledore affirmed, causing a scowl to once again appear on Edward's face. He glared down at the pattern on the wooden table, wanting to avoid what would be excitement in the old professor's eyes. "You background is already sorted out on one of these papers, correct?"

"Yes, I've already sketched out the details. They should work nicely should you approve," Grunman replied, passing a sheet of paper over towards him. As Grunman chatted with Mustang on his role in all of this, which to Edward was thankfully a small one, Dumbledore took a pen and made small adjustments to the paper he'd been given. By the time Dumbledore had given the paper back, Edward was finally able to sip contently on his cooled down caffeinated beverage.

"Good then, Edward I'll expect you to be familiar with all of these notes by the time you arrive at the school," Grunman said, pulling out one last picture. This one, Edward noted, definitely moved and it took all his willpower not to transmute his his arm and shred the witchcraft. After a calming breath, he studying what was a group of three students. The picture was in black and white, so he couldn't tell exact colors, but he could easily pick out the faces when he'd see them again. They are together, arms wrapped around each others shoulders, laughing while looking towards where he assumed was the bewitched camera.

"The boy in the middle is Harry Potter, the one you will be in charge of guarding," Dumbledore explained upon seeing the rather disturbed and perplexed look on Edwards face. He was gripping the edge of the table with his left hand, forcing himself into a tense calm. "The other two are his best friends, and are almost always with him. Find one, and you will find the other two," he said, matter-of-factly.

Edward raised an eyebrow. When he first read that he was going to be protecting a boy, he assumed it was because there was no one else who could do it. He assumed the boy was a loner, and needed to be looked after. "If he already has people at his side, why do you need me?"

Dumbledore sighed, feeling it was time for him to let out more information than he originally intended. Edward was forever the curious one, wasn't he? Already, Dumbledore had explained the treat of Voldemort, a dark wizard looking to seek revenge. Although, he had left out the deeper details of Harry and Voldemort's past, deciding to get to that when the time arose.

"Harry has a special talent of putting himself in dangerous situations," Dumbledore explained. "Much of this semester, I'm going to be away from Harry and the others, and I don't feel that his friends are experienced enough to handle every possible situation on their own. I have faith in them in the future, but for now they could use an extra pair of knowing and experienced eyes."

"And the trade of knowledge for protection is quite agreeable," Grunman commented, always looking for ways to further advance his own country. With all the new troubles of the world, a little magic, despite how disbelieving some were towards the art, would raise hope in the old Fuhrer.

"Hmph," Edward grumbled, drinking the last bit of his coffee. "Are we done, _now?_"

"Quite," Grunman replied, getting up to hand the packet over to Fullmetal. The teen rose gratefully, wondering how Mustang put up with his constant meetings. They were torture. Mustang rose as well, moving ahead to step outside, mentioning grabbing something from his office.

Edward took the packet and added it to his own with a final few words before departing, "Albus is putting you into the sixth year, so you'll have quite a bit of catching up to do. He will provide you with the appropriate books for you to familiarize yourself with before the term starts. Until then, you will be given a room-"

"Wait, classes aren't starting yet?" Edward demanded, wondering why the hell he was forced to pack so early, his tone was laced with anger.

"No, they start next week," Dumbledore informed, wondering if the two old men had failed to mention it earlier. It was possible. They were well past young, after all.

"Then _why _am I being forced to pack up and leave now? Alphonse-"

"Will be fine, Fullmetal," Mustang interrupted. "We can't just ship you off the day before the term starts, not with you playing catch up."

"Speaking of the younger boy," Dumbledore put in, causing Edward to tense up. "He is welcome to attend this year as well."

"No." Edward said flatly. He looked up at Dumbledore with cold eyes, hoping to end the conversation there. He was already struggling with leaving Alphonse behind so soon after getting his body back. When the old man first suggested that he come along, Edward wanted desperately to accept, but he knew it would be a selfish want. Alphonse needed time to recover completely, and the stress of moving and taking up a new assignment would only slow his recovery time. He needed rest.

Besides, where there was need of protection, there was always a danger to be protected from. It was far too soon for his little brother to be exposed to any kind of danger, of the magical sort or not it was all the same.

Dumbledore said nothing else on the matter and feeling that the conversation was over, escorted himself out of the meeting room. Grunman told Edward to find Mustang and then headed off down the hall to speak some more with the curious headmaster.

.

.

"Take it," Mustang said, shoving a sturdy looking notebook into the Alchemist's hands as he opened the door to the Colonel's office. He almost dropped the thing, taken completely off guard after just barely walking through the opened door.

"What is it?" Edward asked hurriedly, trying to regain his barrings, balancing the notebook with the other items in his hands. He looked down to examine it. It was made from a dark, red tinged leather like his packet, but smaller, able to be shoved discreetly into a coat pocket. He took a closer look and saw that in silver, _Fullmetal_ was inscribed onto the top right corner. Keeping it closed was a thick looking strap. Oddly, there was no lock or buckle to open, only a small alchemical array inscribed in silver ink where a buckle would have been.

"Use your eyes for once," Mustang teased, scolding his subordinate. "It's a gift from me and Grunman. Think of it as a bonus for accepting this assignment."

Edward was shocked, expecting something completely different when Mustang said he had something for him. A stack of paper work, maybe, or a stab at his height for sure, but not something that would actually be useful and dare he say, pretty damn awesome.

With a gentle touch to the array, something the students at Hogwarts wouldn't have the knowledge to activate, the binding would release. It was perfect for his assignment, with plenty of space to take notes in.

"Thanks," Edward muttered, still a bit taken back.

"Don't mention it," Mustang replied with a smirk, his eyes glancing knowingly towards the notebook in his subordinate's hands, unnoticed by Edward. Mustang was content in knowing that he left a little something for the squirt to remember him by... even if he hadn't yet discovered the full extent of his gift.

* * *

><p><em>(1.) In law: any person, especially a minor, who has been legally put under the protection or supervision of a guardian or court. <em>

Just wanted to make that clear because it's been used...differently before in other fanfictions. (Usually SesshyxRin fics.) Just saying.

* * *

><p><strong><em>AuToR NotE:<em>**

**_Wow, so I hope I didn't totally bore you this chapter. There are bits that I liked, and then there are bits that I needed but regret having to write. I can't wait for the next chapter when I can get to the interesting stuff. This chapter was mostly just getting all the explanations out the way, yeah? Though of course, Albus is going to have more up his silky blue sleeve than he lets on. Ah, but that's something that Edward will have to find out on his own. Sigh, you sneaky Dumbledore._**

**_Anyway, so Edward is going to be posing as a student. Not the most original, I know. I'll think of something else along the way to twist up idea a bit, make it more interesting and unique. I just haven't figured out exactly what yet. Any idea? Foreshadowing?_**

**_And of course, the ever annoying task of sorting Edward into a house. I want him to be a Ravenclaw, because of his brilliant little mind, but that would cause trouble for him later on. I'm not particularly fond of the idea of putting him in Gryffindor. Although I will admit Edward would look dashing in those colors. :) Ah, well I guess I'll just have to see what I can think up to solve this little issue. It's just that Edward not being anywhere near Harry during the school day, or at night wouldn't be very good for his assignment, nor a tactically wise move on Dumbledore's part._**

**_And you can probably agree that Slytherin and Hufflepuff aren't a great match for our little blonde alchemist. Although, Slytherin isn't completely thrown out, but is a high improbability._**

**_Well that's it, please leave a quick comment. I could really use your help. Thanks so much for reading!_**

**_See you next time. Ja ne~  
><em>**


	4. Order of the Phoenix

*01-05-14 Edit

~The updates to these chapters continue. If I continue at this rate I may get through all the chapters and post another soon. Keep an eye out :)

*I don't really change the previous author's notes much, if I edit them at all. So if you have already gone through this once, just skip that.

* * *

><p><strong>AuThOr NoTe:<strong>

**_Hi there! It's time for the next chapter :) Sorry for the long wait, but this is a fairly long chapter. Almost 6,000 words! (More like 5,500 without the Author note.) XD  
><em>**

**_You guys are truly amazing, you know that? Thanks so much for continuing to read and leave reviews :) You have given me so much to think about for this chapter. Truly, you guys are amazing. _**

**_SUPER SPECIAL THANKS to L. Taggart! - For helping me out as my new Beta and letting me dump my ideas onto you. Every single word of advice that you have given me is much appreciated and has greatly improved my writing and this chapter! :D  
><em>**

**_*Note - this chapter takes place about a week before the Order "rescues" Harry from his aunt and uncle's house.  
><em>**

"Blah blah," regular speech

_Italicized sentences_ - thoughts

* * *

><p>Previously~<p>

Edward was shocked, expecting something completely different when Mustang said he had something for him. A stack of paper work, maybe, a stab at his height for sure, but not something that would actually be useful and dare he say, pretty damn awesome.

With a gentle touch to the array, something the student's at Hogwarts wouldn't have the knowledge to activate, the binding would release. It was perfect for his assignment, with plenty of space to take notes in.

"Thanks," Edward muttered, still a bit taken back.

"Don't mention it," Mustang replied with a smirk, his eyes glancing knowingly towards the notebook in his subordinate's hands, unnoticed by Edward. Mustang was content in knowing that he left a little something for the squirt to remember him by... even if he hadn't yet discovered the full extent of his gift.

* * *

><p>Edward now stood, once again, in Fuhrer Grumman's office, having already forced all of his books and notes into his suitcase, unwillingly accepting help from Dumbledore after the first five failed attempts. Somehow, the old man made everything fit, but that didn't make him grateful, only weary.<p>

"Why are we back in here?" Edward asked, a bored expression on his face, fighting to keep his annoyance from showing. He hoped it wasn't another meeting. After seeing Dumbledore and Grunman walk off together to talk alone, he was left with a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. "I thought we were leaving."

"We are," Dumbledore assured, reaching inside his robe to pull out an aged piece of wood. He eyed it suspiciously, half expecting the old man to do the same with him as he did with the window in Mustang's office. If he ended up outside with a face full of mud he would have a few unfriendly words to say to the wizard, and he just might need another piece of wood to replace the _wand_ that he would take the honor of deconstructing himself.

Eying the alchemist, Dumbledore gestured for Edward to hand over his suitcase. Edward raised an eyebrow, wondering just what would give the old man the idea that he was allowed anywhere near his possessions. The Führer cleared his throat, and Edward took that as the polite way of telling him to obey. With a sigh, he passed it to Dumbledore and then watched, horrifyingly awestruck, as it shrank before him.

"Old man..." Edward mumbled, shock bringing his voice down to nothing more than a whisper that went unheard. Grunman, choosing to stand near the door, blinked in surprise. His reaction, however, was much more positive and he appraised Dumbledore's work with a radiant smile. Mustang was stuck somewhere between the two, remaining silent.

"Now, if you would take my arm," Dumbledore continued, placing his wand back in his robes along with Ed's miniaturized suitcase, "we can be off."

"You want me to do what?" Edward asked in disbelief, his tone screaming defiance. That was it, the old man had lost it._ I don't plan on being escorted down to the car by a man wearing a light blue bathrobe! Just what I need for some fool on the street to mistake the scene for something it clearly is not.  
><em>

Dumbledore grinned, knowing full well what was about to be done, sharing a look with Grunman who gave him a small, yet affirmative nod. Mustang looked at both seniors quizzically, wondering just what the odd pair were up to. He had no idea what kind of tricks Albus Dumbledore hid far up his sleeves.

"Go ahead, Lt. Colonel. Do as he says," Grunman encouraged, a chipper tone to his voice. He took a step forward from his spot by the door, running his hand along the wall as he made his way over to the two. His excitement did nothing to improve the younger alchemist's mood, and Edward's expression complimented his dissatisfaction perfectly.

With an exasperated look towards both men, Edward placed his right hand around Dumbledore's forearm, feeling like a complete idiot as he did so. He stood there, waiting for the man to lead him outside like he expected. He never would have guessed what was about to happen.

"A bit lighter, if you please," Dumbledore commented softly, and Edward was instantly aware that he may have been gripping the man's arm just a bit too tightly. He slackened his grip, but only just a little. "I'll see to it that he writes," Dumbledore assured, and leaving behind nothing more than a faint cracking noise, the two Disapparated out of Grunman's office.

.

.

Edward's first experience with Apparition was, simply put, extremely unpleasant. The moment Edward became aware that something strange had just happened, he was doubled over on the cement feeling like he'd just been squeezed through a rubber tube. Clutching his stomach, he tried desperately not to experience his breakfast for a second time. Dumbledore stood over him, looking completely unphased, offering Edward a small vial of some strange, pink liquid. He pushed it away violently. Standing up, he glared daggers at the man.

It was then that Edward noticed he wasn't in Führer Grunman's office anymore, but standing alone with Albus Dumbledore. He surveyed his surroundings: a cloudy, depressingly gray sky, a row of faded brick apartments, and an empty street greeted him as he blinked away the darkness from his eyes.

"...the hell?" Edward muttered, wondering just how he'd landed on that empty street. He remembered darkness, and the sensation of being pressed against from all sides by an unknown force; had he been knocked out? Had he... passed through some twisted version of the Gate? He swallowed and found his voice, fist clenched tightly at his sides, "What the hell was that! How did I get here?"

Dumbledore made a gesture to silence the teen, and suddenly Edward had the feeling that they weren't alone. His voice faded and he looked for anyone who seemed to be a threat. The only person he saw other than himself was Dumbledore, who he already had suspicions about. The silence that greeted the two was only interrupted by the faint sound of ravens off in the distance, a depressing song that only darkened the mood.

Edward watched the ravens as they flew past him, disappearing somewhere behind the apartments. He scowled at the birds, having the freedom that the alchemist lacked. He shook the thought from his head and tried to focus on something positive. At least It wasn't raining.

Silently, Dumbledore motioned for Edward to follow him, who did so only because he had no idea where the hell he was. He'd rather follow the old man than be left alone in a place he knew nothing about. He wondered briefly if it were Scotland; the place that was suppose to be the home of Hogwarts, the only place Edward could imagine that old fool would take him.

As they approached the large building, Edward noticed that Dumbledore was walking towards the middle of two apartments, labeled as numbers 11 and 13. He pondered over why there was no number 12, cursing the contractors in his head for making such an idiotic mistake. How could anyone not notice the missing address? Even more absurd was watching Dumbledore walk between the two, where number 12 probably should be.

Before Edward could protest about the direction the old man was leading him, a surprisingly loud sound came from the surrounding apartments, or so he thought. They screeched and separated, filling the air with the sound of twisting metal and crumbling brick, revealing though the light layer of dust another door, the missing number 12. Even if Edward wanted to speak, he was shocked into silence, following Dumbledore wordlessly.

_This isn't happening... this isn't happening... I'm having a nightmare. Sure, that's it.  
><em>

"You will receive the answers to your questions once we are inside," Dumbledore murmured, and Edward felt that his only option would be to follow the man. His fist unclenched, and he already had a series of alchemical symbols formed in his mind should this all be some kind of trap. Whatever lie through that door, Edward was prepared to face it.

Once inside, Edward shut the door quickly. He looked around for good measure, and noticed that the inside of the apartment was just as shabby as the outside. They were in a long, dimly lit hallway; a chandelier rocked above them, casting shadows onto the peeling wallpaper. Under his feet, the carpeting was worn and scattered with spider webs. Off to the side, something lay hidden behind heavy looking drapes. He stared at the scene with a blank expression, expecting something a little more... exciting.

_The picture, _Edward thought, suddenly remembering the one Führer Grunman showed him earlier that same day; the one he only glanced at. He was almost certain the buildings were the same, but he couldn't remember its significance. He stood and watched idly as Dumbledore turned to face him.

"I am terribly sorry that you didn't take well to Apparition," He said, though Edward wasn't entirely sure if he knew what the senile old man was talking about. The only thing that came to mind was the method in which he _arrived_ at this unfamiliar place, in which case he wouldn't deny that his reaction brought the old man some amount of amusement. "Welcome to Number 12, Grimmauld Place, headquarters to the Order of the Phoenix," Dumbledore continued with a pleasant smile.

Inside Ed's mind, the name clicked, but he still fought away a scowl as the man in question lead him through the hall into another room on the ground floor. It was a dining room; a sturdy looking table was placed in the center, taking up most of the room. Chairs were carelessly placed around the table and a china cabinet, littered with old heirlooms and thick layers of dust, was pushed against one of the dark walls.

Edward couldn't help but wonder just who was in charge of the upkeep at this place, and why on earth they'd even let it sink to this condition when people were expected to stay here.

_Must be old_, he concluded.

"Apparition?" Edward asked, more to himself as he finally found his voice. There were others in the room, and they immediately drew the Headmaster's attention, leaving his question unanswered. The group were all sitting around the dining table, one woman and a couple of men, eating what Edward assumed to be either a late lunch or early supper. When Dumbledore and Edward walked in, easily the oldest and youngest present the others stopped picking at their plates and turned to stare at the newcomer.

Edward's eyes narrowed before he averted them to glare at Dumbledore. He hadn't expected to run into anyone unfamiliar so soon, without warning. And after everything he had already experienced, the last thing he wanted was the extra attention.

_That bastard. Putting me into a situation already and I've only been here for a minute. _

The alchemist fumed on the inside, but quickly forced the emotion down. Sighing mentally, he tried to make himself appear more pleasant. He was suppose to be a student, and students probably shouldn't be glaring at their Headmaster.

The woman, noticeably younger than the two men, looked him over curiously. He returned the gesture, her faded pink hair throwing him off. He supposed he shouldn't find it that odd that someone on this side of the world had strangely colored hair, but something about it was depressing, reminding him of the cloudy sky outside. "Is this him?" she asked, her tone hinted at disbelief.

"Him?" Edward mirrored, raising an eyebrow. _So they know?_

"Yes, him," Dumbledore confirmed. "May I introduce Lieutenant Colonel Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist. This is the young man posing as our new transfer student._"_

"Lieutenant Colonel?" The woman asked, confused by the muggle term mixed in somehow with alchemy. One of the men, however, lit up with recognition, only to have confusion cross him shortly after. He looked the teen over curiously, much like the woman, and much to the annoyance of the Fullmetal Alchemist. For the sake of all the ears in the room, it better not have been because of his height.

"This boy?" He asked, a set of ginger eyebrows raised, "this boy is in the muggle military?"

"Boy-?" Edward protested, completely overlooking the strange _muggle_ term, but was cut off. He swallowed hard, biting his tongue before he said something he would later regret. Besides, he promised his brother he would work on his temper, and he was going to _try_ and remain true to his word. Still... if they kept at it, he could show them just how far from a boy he was.

"The military, Albus?" Another man said, this one lanky and middle aged, with grayed brown hair and a scarred, worn face. "You hired a military boy to protect Harry?"

"Yes," Dumbledore said, gesturing for Edward to take a seat. He stubbornly refused the offer, and instead stood his ground next to the closed door of the dining room. Dumbledore shrugged off the behavior and sat down without him, pouring himself another cup of tea while the others shifted uncomfortably in their seats, picking at the food left on their plates. Nothing was being said and it infuriated Edward. How could this man be so calm in this situation, acting as if nothing at all was out of place?

"I don't like it," The lanky man argued, leaning over the table to get a good look at both Dumbledore and the blond teen standing not far behind him. His eyes darted between them both, finally landing on the other man with red hair. "Arthur, you agree with me, don't you?"

His eyes once again took a weary glance towards Edward, yet another gesture he chose to ignore. He would try to let this disagreement be handled by the Headmaster. The redhead, Arthur, took one look at Dumbledore and sighed, seeing that his mind was already made up. "I don't think we have much choice," he said, moving to join the professor in drinking a cup of hot tea. The lanky man looked at him incredulously. "Besides," he added, stirring in more sugar, "an extra pair of eyes won't hurt."

"He'll only draw extra attention! You can't honestly-" he began, another argument evident in the tone of his tongue. There was an audible sigh.

"And just who are you to question our authority? It's not your call," Edward countered, deciding that he'd heard enough. The pounding headache that he'd received from earlier was only getting worse, putting him far out of the mood to hear two grown men argue over something they had no say in. "It's already been decided," he added, for those who couldn't read into his thoughts.

The three sitting at the table - excluding Dumbledore who was sipping on his cup of tea while pulling a lemon drop out of his robe pocket - were completely silent, as if it shocked them all to hear him speak so suddenly. There was an edge to the young alchemist's tone, one that only increased with his annoyance, that they weren't used to hearing. Effortlessly topping his overconfident demeanor, he even managed to keep a smug, toothy grin on his lips.

"Hmm," Dumbledore mused, a calculating look in his twinkling eyes. "I think introductions might be in order. Maybe it will help clear the confusion, yes?"

"Whatever you say, old man," Edward muttered, clearly straining himself to try and act civil. "Edward Elric, _sixteen, _State Alchemist. Your turn," he said, looking towards the man who had commented before, the one he was having a silent battle with. The older man was speechless for a moment, and Edward couldn't tell if he looked anxious or impressed, maybe both.

He took a deep, calming breath before he spoke, "My name is Remus Lupin. I use to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts, and was a close friend of Harry's family... well, when they were all still alive. My age... isn't important." Edward looked at the man. The pain in his voice was clear, and he guessed that the passing of his friends was the reason he was being so protective now. Still, what happened in the past wasn't going to change anything. He was here, whether any of them liked it or not, and he had a job to do.

He wondered, just briefly, about the teaching job Remus Lupin once held. What reason would he have to leave his position?

It was the redhead who spoke next, taking the attention off of his friend, to which he was grateful. "I'm Arthur Weasley, father of Harry's friend, Ronald. I work in the Ministry of Magic, in the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office*, and I've been helping out the Order for a while now in whatever way I can." Edward looked at him with a blank expression, beginning to wonder why these two people were in this so called Order of the Phoenix in the first place.

So far, none of them seemed to have any significant skills to offer to the cause. Sure, this Arthur was in the Ministry, the government of the so called Wizards according to the document he received, but he didn't seem like much. He saw a teacher and parent, not soldiers. They were fighting a war, weren't they? How would they even hope to win without a good, strong force?

He looked to the girl, wondering what she had to say and hoping it was more than the first two.

"Tonks," the girl said, trying to sound somewhat peppy, though her tone was deflated. "I'm an Auror, so I've been involved in situations like this for a little while now."

"Auror?" Edward asked, getting an odd look from Tonks.

"Guess you don't know much, huh?" Tonks observed, but continued before Edward could take too much offense to the comment. "I track down the bad lot of wizards, bring them to the Ministry to be dealt with. It's a dangerous job, yeah?," she continued, "And I'm very good it, mind you." To Edward, that last part sounded like a warning, though he had absolutely no idea what she was getting at. It wasn't like _he_ was the suspicious one. Right?

Fighting another never ending sigh, Edward lightly shook his head, eyes narrowed. Right now, he really didn't care who these people were. He could figure all that out later. There was nothing more the alchemist wanted than to escape to some place quiet so that he could sort through his thoughts and get a better grasp on his own situation. This mission was already seeming like a terrible idea and it hadn't even officially started yet.

"Well, then. I am so _very _pleased to meet you all," Edward stated, finally walking towards the table after a short moment of silence. The conversation wasn't going anywhere so he decided it best to end it there, looking towards Dumbledore. "I'd like my suitcase back," he continued, a demanding tone to his voice, "I need to review my assignment, and maybe _then_ I can get rid of this headache that you've all so graciously given me and understand just what the hell I'm suppose to be doing for the rest of the week."

With a patient smile, Dumbledore reached into his robe and pulled out Edward's suitcase, returning it to its proper size. Ed took it stiffly, frowning at the magic being used on his own belongings, and left the dining room hoping to find some place quiet enough for him to study. The initial shock of what happened only moments ago were starting to wear off, if only just. His mind still felt like it was back in Amestris, and all he wanted to do was be left alone, away from these people he knew next to nothing about. Remus, Arthur, Tonks, and Dumbledore; four people he couldn't trust.

_I really hate this_, he thought as he headed up the stairs. _My books had better not be contaminated by this magic, either._

Only furthering his steadily rising annoyance, one of the men from inside the dining room chased after him, catching up with the alchemist halfway up the stairs. It was Arthur, the one who first reacted to him being in the military. Edward looked at him, hazy eyed, making sure the man knew that he was not on his good side.

"I'm only showing you around, no questions," he said, looking nervous under the intense gaze of Edward's golden orbs as he raised his hands in an innocent gesture. Edward, though, could see the curiosity practically spilling from his very soul. He'd have to watch out for this Arthur, otherwise he'd be stuck with a round of questions that he couldn't talk himself out of.

"Just show me where I'll be staying," Edward muttered, allowing the older man to take the lead. He wasn't in the mood for a full tour and besides, the layout of the apartment was a simple one. He could find his way around easily enough, he just needed to know which room would be his. At the top of the stairs, Edward followed Arthur to a guest bedroom.

"Right in here," Arthur gestured, "Dumbledore's even got your books already, right in that trunk there." He watched as Edward inspected where he would be sleeping. It was cleaner than the entry, but still covered lightly in dust. The blond sneezed the moment he walked in, and Arthur sent him an apologetic look from inside the hall. With a sigh, Edward muttered a few words of thanks and shut the door, walking over to a bed shoved against the wall. Pulling out his assignment from earlier, he collapsed on top of the old blankets and flipped through the pages in the envelope. He had a lot to memorize.

.

.

Edward chose to spend the rest of the duration of his time at Grimmauld Place alone, locked up in his room with his many books, most of which were made up of the ones he would have to study before term. Dumbledore left that first night, saying that he would be back in a few days to see how Edward was adjusting and discuss how they would all begin the new school year.

The only time Edward left his room since he'd arrived was to stealthily sneak downstairs to grab some food before returning to whatever book he was reading at the time. Only once, the day after he arrived, did he attempt to make conversation at breakfast. Needless of his efforts, it didn't go well, falling short of the alchemist's list of great ideas.

He sat at the table, book in hand on the chance the conversation turned sour, and tried to sip on his coffee in peace. Remus, Tonks, and Arthur watched curiously as Edward added about six teaspoons of sugar, sipped it, and then stirred in another four without giving it a second thought. Annoyed by the looks they were giving him, he glared and told them, "I don't like it bitter."

Remus, who had a rather perplexed look in his eyes, turned to him and said, "Why don't you just add some milk?"

Edward scoffed, nearly choking on his coffee. He had rejected milk for so long, with the rare exception of Granny's stew, that the mere suggestion had him greatly offended. "I don't drink milk," he stated firmly, "Never have, never will." Honestly, how could they even tolerate the cold, bland liquid? He couldn't imagine.

Arthur Weasley, who had just finished pouring himself a glass of the same liquid in question, looked to the boy, "It's better for you than all that sugar. One day, you'll regret those extra calories, mark my words."

Edward grinned, relaxing back into his seat. "You seem to forget that I'm in the military. I burn off more calories daily than you can consume in a week." Of course, his statement was exaggerated, but only slightly. There was a reason his muscles were so toned and evident, and it wasn't because he deprived himself of fatty foods. The extra calories wouldn't stay extra for long. Besides, even if he did have a lapse in physical activity, the extra energy it took to operate his automail would suffice.

"Yes," Arthur mused, a steady smile growing on his lips, "the military. I can only imagine so much, though, we must have a talk one day. I'd love to know more. Most of your work is Muggle, isn't it?"

"Uh...muggle?"

"Non-magical," Arthur murmured, having said it many times before.

"Right," Edward stated, sounding clearly annoyed. "There is no _magic_ in our military. Especially the branch of State Alchemist, it's strictly a science. And frankly, it's not your business to know much more than that."

Arthur tried to hide his flinch, but he couldn't loose the look of dissatisfaction. He smiled sheepishly, hoping he hadn't offended the boy too much. Tonks, on the other hand, stared at the teen from across the table incredulously.

"We are to know nothing about you, then?" Tonks started, "How are we to-?"

"My suggestion is that you listen to your commanding officer, who is in your case Albus Dumbledore. If you have questions, ask him. I'm not at liberty to discuss my personal business with you people." Edward glared down at his plate. He knew he was being harsh, sure. But he hated when people pried into his business. And he especially hated when outsiders tried to dig into the history behind his military.

If only they knew the purpose of _his_ military, the pointless authority they once held, and all the innocent lives that were lost because of Father's never-ending lust for power. Edward stopped eating, and when the wizards looked back they saw hatred leaking through his carefully constructed mask. They didn't question why, topic still on hand.

"All you need to know is that I'm qualified," Edward said, looking over to Tonks. "But if makes you sleep better at night I suppose you can think of me as a type of Auror, only no magic and a lot more research, but I've seen just as much battle as anyone here. If not more."

"They actually let a kid like you fight!" Tonks blurted out, clearly missing Edward's sudden change in mood. "And without magic you say! It's amazing you haven't been killed."

Edward snapped. This is not what he wanted. This argument was pointless and it only pissed him off. "If you're trying to make assumptions about me, don't. You don't know what I'm capable of!" His fist slammed involuntarily against the already worn table, metal colliding against wood.

"You're just a boy," she argued, regaining her ground. She was stubborn, he would give her that. "No older than Harry. No magic, or training-"

"I've had years of training!" Edward, his voice rising, as he gripped the edge of the table. He tried to rein his anger in, but it was difficult. He already didn't want to be here, away from Alphonse and the rest of his family. Away from what he knew... Now he had to start from scratch. He had to prove himself all over again. "And I don't need magic. I'm more than capable using alchemy."

"Alchemy?" She asked, a very sarcastic edge to her voice, "No wizard has ever done much with that. Only one, and he merely prolonged his life, not used it in battle! How is alchemy suppose to be helping you?" She was feeling very much insulted. She was called to an impromptu meeting at the order only to be slightly warned that they were receiving a new member, an outsider. He wasn't even a wizard, no better than a muggle in this war against Voldemort.

What had alchemy done for her? What had it done for anyone in this world other than create a philosopher's stone, a gem that only served as motivation for the Dark Lord to attempt his first revival years ago.

"Just what the hell do you think alchemy is?" Edward questioned, not following any of the points the young witch was trying to make. "And I'm _not_ a wizard, so stop trying to compare your magic with my science!"

Arthur decided to intervene by this time, rising his hands into the air in a calming motion, "Come on, just settle down the both of you. It's evident that we have our differences, but bickering about it isn't getting us anywhere."

Reluctantly, Edward dropped the argument there, but hadn't had the last word. He stood up, grabbing the rest of his food and book along with him, and left the table. "You should do your research before you underestimating me," he said as he left, his voice dangerously low. His once alert and lively gaze was darkened, and rather than a molten gold, his eyes were sharp and steely. Unsure of just what had gone wrong, the wizards watched as he disappeared into the hall, his footsteps carrying loudly as he made his way upstairs.

"He sure is a feisty one," Tonks commented, looking over to the wizard sitting next to her. Remus Lupin, silent through most of the argument, answered her with a cautious look.

"I only hope Dumbledore knows what he's doing." He commented, and forced his attention back on the plate in front of him with a tiresome sigh.

~^.^~

Since that first breakfast, Edward Elric made it a point to avoid everyone staying at number 12 Grimmauld Place. The only close contact he made with them since then was when he was listening in on a conversation that was stirring up at the bottom of the stairs. He hoped of good news, that which meant he could pack up and go home, but instead learned that there would be another pain in his arse joining them, this one going by the name of Alaster Moody.

By the middle of the second day, Edward was already bored. Nothing had changed within the home other than Arthur leaving some time after the argument during breakfast. He did the only other thing he could and returned to the books he was given.

He thought that these people's precious magic would, at the very least, be interesting, but instead he only found it to be completely infuriating. With each turn of a page, the doubt he felt doubled. None of it agreed with the law of Equivalency, and hardly required any more effort than a simple _flick and swish._ Worst of all, most of the lessons were worded so that even the severely incompetent could understand them. There was no challenge, only a tangled, illogical mess.

With a frustrated sigh, Edward threw one of the books at the wall, enjoying the random burst of noise that interrupted the unending quiet. When it was gone, however, the alchemist was left with another eerie silence.

"What the hell am I doing?" Edward asked himself, and decided to give up for the day. He got up from his spot on the bed and decided to do something that would be a bit more productive. He reached for one of the pieces of parchment that Dumbledore had provided and then pulled out his own pen - as if he would use a quill - from inside his coat.

Alphonse,

Ling is sending over some more books about Alkahestry. When they arrive, I'll need you forward them to this Hogwarts place. Ask Mustang for the address. The books Dumbledore's making me read are garbage.

Hurry up and get better. If I don't get some decent company soon I'm going to loose the little sanity I have left. And then Teacher is going to beat the last few remaining brain cells out of me for being so weak minded.

Take care,

Edward

Putting that letter aside, he grabbed the book he was reading before the bastard Mustang had so rudely pulled him aside and given him this nightmarish assignment. So what if he blew off his "mission" for a little while, he was attempting to get some real research done.

"Alkahestry," Edward mused. "At least it has some truth behind its theories."

* * *

><p><strong>*<strong>_This is what Arthur does throughout most of the series, but switches to another job somewhere in either the fifth or sixth book I think... but I'm not positive. So, I'm just going with what I know at this point. If anyone knows, tell me in a review or P.M. and I will correct it if he's already had the promotion._**  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong><em>So.. a random thought lead me to wonder what my own writing said about me. What do you think? Can you answer these two questions?<em>**

**_WITHOUT looking at my profile(because it really doesn't give you the answers anyway) can you guess which part of North America I live in. For example, the North, South, East, or West? Also, how old do I seem? (As far as writing is concerned) _**

**_It's not all that important, and if you want to answer you can leave it with the review - if it is reviewed of course. As always, thanks so much for reading this far! I appreciate every single one of you for taking the time to read this fic!  
><em>**

**_Lastly, thanks so much for reading! And thanks so very much to L. Taggart! Without this wonderful person, this chapter would not have been nearly as nice and put together as it is now. *ROUND OF ENTHUSIASTIC APPLAUSE!* - And a cookie. (:  
><em>**

**_Until next time. Ja ne~  
><em>**

Updated Author's note - I changed around a little bit in this chapter. I'm trying to fix some of the messes I've gotten myself into later on. Hopefully I'm heading in the right direction. Edward's a bit hostile right now, but I think it's fitting. He just got shipped out of country to live with random wizards... I'd be cranky too.

Hope you enjoyed this chapter :)


	5. Alastor Moody

***EDIT 8/7/2014 SUPER IMPORTANT!**So I FINALLY found this chapter saved on my computer. This is the original Alastor Moody chapter that I posted way back forever ago before I attempted to edit it and accidentally replaced it. I'm putting this up without re-reading it to make sure it still fits with the latest edit (it should, minus a few minor changes that will be updated ASAP) so that at least the chapter will be out and not completely missing. I'm so sorry this happened. When I found out I felt so crushed because I had worked really hard on the new version on the chapter to make sure everything fit well and then it was just gone. I didn't even want to look at it. However, I finally found it hiding in one of my folders and I'm going to try my hardest to fix everything up nice and tidy. THANK YOU EVERYONE for not only noticing my mistake but for having the patience to bear with me. Below is the original chapter - original author note included. I will go back when I have time and probably spruce it up again to make sure I didn't miss anything.

**AuThOr NoTe: Ahhhh, you guys continue to impress me with your very kind words. I'm so glad that you are enjoying this so far. None of you have been able to guess where I'm from though, which I'm rather pleased about. With all the stereo types from the South, - YEP! I'M A SOUTHERN GIRL! - I try my hardest to keep my writing in top shape. Some of you were very close to my age. I'm going to be a Junior in High School, so make what you will of that. (:**

**I'm thinking I might bring in Harry and the others in this chapter or maybe the next. But no, not at Number 12. I'm trying to stay within bounds of the main plot as much as possible. I really need to go and buy that book... **

"Blah blah," regular speech

_Italicized sentences_ - thoughts

***EDIT 8/5/11 Fixed the errors I made that strayed away from CANNON. Idiot Author moment. Sorry!**

Previously~

Putting that letter aside, he grabbed the book he was reading before the bastard Mustang had so rudely pulled him aside and given him this nightmarish assignment. So what if he blew off his "mission" for a little while, he was attempting to get some real research done.

"Alkahestry," Edward mused. "At least it has some truth behind it's theories."

Three days had passed since Edward took his first steps inside Number 12, Grimmauld Place. He was pleased that he'd managed to read through most of the material Dumbledore gave him for use of basic spells. They were the first to be completed on his little mental checklist, soon to be followed by a rather large book on magical creatures and equally large one containing everything there was to know about making potions.

He left others to the side, ones that he didn't care to concern himself with until later on. Two books, _New Theory of Numerology_ and _Numerology and Grammatica_, Edward shoved aside. After a quick skimming though their text, he decided that there wasn't much need to actually read it. Although, he did enjoy the fact that it actually contained some mathematical theory, even if the wizards did use it to "predict the future."

Transfiguration, however, was a matter that Edward completely separated from the rest of the subjects he was being forced to study. While the others he could choke down just fine, ignoring that he was actually reading though a _magical_ book, he couldn't get over the disregard of equivalent exchange that was implied in every single spell used to _transfigure_ an object.

_And then the animals, _Edward thought bitterly, gripping the book in the early morning light as he continued to force his way though the text he wished so much to destroy. When he came across a spell that explained how to transfigure a rat into a tea cup, he nearly dropped the book out of pure shock before finding himself feeling very sick and disgusted. It was only when the spell used to reverse the affects came up did the alchemist finally calm down enough to breathe. He would be in a foul mood for the rest of the day, he was sure of it.

A knock on the door just before lunch pulled him from his thoughts. The book in hand, _Guide to Advanced Transfiguration, _was left on the bed as the alchemist forced himself up. He'd considered himself lucky, managing to go nearly a full three days without interruption, and attempted to adjust his features sightly so he at least wouldn't _appear _to be in a terrible mood.

Opening the door, he found himself face to face with the pink haired youth, Tonks. Her eyes widened slightly, apparently expecting Edward to look much different than how he did now. His hair was in a messy braid, the result of laying in the same position all morning while he skimmed angrily though the text of Transfiguration. He wore nothing more than a long sleeved shirt and pants, hiding his right hand behind the door so that his automail wouldn't be visible. He met her with a passive stare.

"Yeah?" He asked, his tone laced with annoyance from being disturbed.

"We're having lunch in a few minutes," she said, her tone nearly mimicking the young alchemist, "and there's someone who wants to meet you."

Edward frowned, "That Moody guy, right?"

Tonks looked alarmed, not recalling anyone ever mentioning the arrival of their fellow Auror. "How would you know that?" she asked defensively.

The blond sent her an exasperated look, "You aren't exactly sneaky with your conversations. Anyone inside can overhear, say when they're walking across the hall for example."

Tonks flushed, not realizing they were that careless around the newcomer. It wasn't as if it was suppose to remain some kind of huge secret, but neither of the wizards had any idea that Edward had overheard. She made a mental note to be more careful, as to not let anything slip that she actually did want to keep private.

"Well... are you coming, then?" Tonks asked, quickly recollecting herself while she waited on his reply. Edward sighed, and she could tell he wasn't thrilled with the idea.

"I'll be down in a few minutes," Edward said, before impolitely closing the door. He groaned and stretched before picking up his gloves and slipping them on. As he made his way out, he quickly undid his braid and worked it up into a ponytail, making sure to grab his book on Alkahestry before closing the door. He hoped for the wizards' sake that this would go smoothly. At the very least, if the meeting grew awkward he would have a book to distract himself with.

Edward assumed that by mentioning lunch, this Moody fellow was in the dining room. He walked in noiselessly and sat down, fully ignoring the stares he received from the others. Tonks passed a quick look at his gloves, and wondered briefly if there was a reason he always wore them in public, not recalling seeing the white fabric when he opened the door upstairs.

_He is a strange one,_ she thought, before returning her attention to the arrival of Alastor Moody. He was sitting nearly directly across from Edward, albeit a chair over, hunched over his plate.

Edward glanced up, seeing that it was only Moody and Tonks, "Is this everyone?"

Tonks looked at the blond, "Remus had to step out for a bit, and Arthur's already gone back home." Edward nodded, and Tonks gave him a small grin. "You would know this already if you didn't lock yourself upstairs all night and day," she said mockingly.

Moody looked up from his food then, taking the time to fully look over the teen in front of him, admitting to himself that he imagined someone much older. "So you're not observative," the man grunted, piercing Edward's glare with his own magical eye, "And anti-social. I don't know what Dumbledore's thinking hiring someone like you."

Edwards eyes narrowed, and he wasn't sure whether it was the statement, or the way he said it that ticked him off more. "If I wasn't observative," Edward began, a bitter edge to his voice, "I wouldn't have noticed. And unless someone has forgotten, I've only been given a week to read though at least a dozen books. That wouldn't get done if I wasted my time having a chat every five minutes." That last part was directed towards Tonks, and for the second time that day she found her cheeks flushed.

"How old are, boy?" Moody asked, unphased by Edwards retort. At the mention of _boy_, Edward scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest defiantly.

"Sixteen," Edward said, trying to recollect his tone, but failing, "And my _name_ is Edward Elric, not _boy_."

Moody merely grunted in response.

"If I was only called down to be interrogated, then I'll be leaving..." Edward said, abruptly getting up from his chair at the table and shoving the furniture much harder than what was needed to get his point across.

"Calm down," Tonks muttered, waving her hands in front of her in an innocent gesture. Honestly, she respected Moody as her mentor, but sometimes that man was too blunt. Putting these two in the same room with their clashing personalities may not have been the greatest idea. "Moody, no need to be so forward. Have some trust in Dumbledore."

"I trust Dumbledore just fine," Moody grumbled, thinking back to previous years of working with the old man. He often had a good sense of things, but that didn't mean he couldn't give the newcomers a hard time until he got to know them better. "It's the kid I don't have much faith in. If Dumbledore is so concerned about Harry's safety at school, he should have hired an Auror to do the job, not some outsider."

Edward glared as he took his seat, staying merely so he could prove his point and move on. He didn't like the fact that he was put where he was by his own superiors and he was sick and tired of everyone reacting so strongly to his being here. If they had as much trust in the old man as they claimed to have, then they shouldn't question his arrival. That just proved how unprofessional this group was. After a bit of reading, Edward found it extremely odd that the Order of the Phoenix had even managed to stay together as long as they had.

But really, Edward found the amount of years to be unimpressive. Not much had been accomplished up until now by the rag-tag group. The alchemist read nothing but stories of death and deception, and some lucky backfire that ended the reign of Lord Voldemort. Although, the fact that he hadn't actually been killed only proved their efforts to be unproductive. Even still, if nothing else, he had to admire their hope and persistence... even if it was foolish.

With these thoughts put aside, Edward turned his attention back to the last works of Alastor Moody. "It's my understanding that this is an undercover assignment. I'd honestly enjoy your attempt in passing as a sixteen year old student."

Despite Ed's sarcasm, the older man couldn't help but scoff. The alchemist smirked, detecting a bit of humor that Moody was trying to cover up.

"That's not usually how I do things," Moody barked, sharing with the blond a dark chuckle. "I'll admit you have your wit in the right place, but know that I don't put much trust in others. It's best not to get on my bad side."

Ed's smirk grew wider, "I'll keep that in mind, so long as you don't underestimate me. There's a reason I've been a _dog_ of the military for just over four years, as well as a reason I've been given this particular assignment. I wouldn't be here if I couldn't get the job done."

"Four years," Tonks muttered, a small trace of shock audible in her voice. "That would mean that you joined when you were..."

"Twelve is a young age to be put into service," Moody commented, taking this new information and storing it in the 'suspicious facts' part of his mind. What was visible of his eyebrows were raised.

"I had my reasons, and I was one of few to have the qualifications to join. Some would call me a child prodigy," Edward mused, enjoying every moment of where this conversation was headed. The shock on Tonks' face was like fuel, along with the looks he received from Moody.

There was a short moment of silence as the wizards gathered their thoughts. All in all, the atmosphere was rather thick. The wizards, Tonks especially, found it hard to have any amount of decent conversation with the blond without getting someone stirred up. With that in mind, however, he was interesting enough to talk to when he didn't feel like he was being insulted, or when he was doing the same in retaliation.

Seeing that now was as good as time as any, Edward leaned back in his seat and opened his book. From across the table, Moody could just get a glimpse of the title before it was laid on the alchemist's lap.

"Alkahestry?" Moody inquired, his tone now shifting to that of a curious man, though still having that ever pressing essence of suspicion. "I don't recall ever coming across a book like that."

Edward sighed, trying his hardest not to loose the page he was on as he'd just started reading a new paragraph that accompanied a complicated looking array. "That's because its not a subject of _magic_," Edward explained, "It's a branch of alchemy, primarily used for medical purposes and long ranged alchemical reactions."

"So it _is_ used to extend life then, I knew it!" Tonks exclaimed, her voice more accusing than she intended. "How does that help you with combat?"

"Don't you use magic, boy?" Moody questioned, just after his companion, having missed this little detail of his origin. He hadn't yet had time to get the newcomers full report, as Dumbledore took action rather abruptly.

"_No,_" Edward replied, for what felt like the millionth time since he'd arrived, and for that he getting more and more ticked off. "Alchemy is not used to _extend_ life in any way or form, though there have been those foolish enough to try. _Alkahestry_ has several branches of medical purposes, but nothing that has any large scale effect on the lifespan of a human. And for the last damn time, I have never used any form of magic in my life, as shocking as that is. The alchemy I use is more than efficient."

The alchemist finished his little rant without looking up from his book, deciding that he wasn't up for theatrics today as he was already in a foul mood. Those back in Central better be glad that he had enough nerve to handle this assignment, and he expected a raise when this was all over.

_Never again_, he promised himself.

Moody was left with a notably ugly scowl taking up what was left of his battered face. Tonks eyes darted from the teen to her mentor, aching to say words of protest, but knowing where that got her last time.

"It seems we won't be on the same page for a while, then," Moody commented, knowing full well of what was capable with magic. So much destruction with the simple wave of a wand, nothing more than a piece of wood with a magically infused core. "All the more reason why Dumbledore should have entrusted this job to someone else."

"Perhaps, but I assure you I'm more than capable of playing the part and beating down anyone who tries to harm this Harry Potter," Edward retorted, a smirk playing at his lips. "I've already familiarized myself with enough information to get me through the basics, and I'm good enough at talking my way out of situations that might make me look suspicious."

Moody shifted in his seat, pulling out his wand. Edward eyed him suspiciously, but didn't make any physical move to act. "And what," the older Auror began, a surprisingly dark tone to his already gruff voice, "would you do if you were attacked by Death Eater and weren't in possession of a wand?"

Edward frowned as he noticed the small movement of Moody's wrist, and the alchemist knew exactly what the wizard was thinking. Tonks watched curiously as what would certainly prove to be nothing less than amusing. Before either had the time to blink, Moody was already muttering a body bind jinx and Edward had shut his book and clapped his hands, placing them on the edge of the table.

The battle worn wizard stopped in his tracks, both of his eyes fixed on the sharp looking stake now protruding from the edge of the table, touching just the outer layer of his clothing. From the small tear in his battle ready attire, he could tell that despite whatever it was being made of wood, it was very sharp indeed.

"Usually I would do something a bit more creative," Edward began, the beginnings of a smile creeping up on his lips, "but given the short notice of the attack I would still say my demonstration would be more than effective."

"I suppose that could be said," Moody agreed, resisting what urge he felt to let out a somewhat nervous chuckle, as he didn't want the sharp wood any closer to his flesh. "If you would mind..."

"Not at all."

After clapping his hands, Edward Elric went back to reading his book.

Two hours later, Edward found himself at the end of the chapter of his book as he still sat in the same chair. Moody was done with his questions, deciding that while he didn't trust the lad more than he did Mundungus Fletcher, the blond knew well how to handle his own affairs. For that, he gave him credit, but nothing more. No, anything else would be earned in due time.

Tonks muttered something about going to some place called Diagon Alley, and Edward couldn't help but be pulled away from his studies. He actually found that when Author and Lupin weren't here, the old Grimmauld Place was fairly quiet, nothing more than the hushed conversation of Tonks and Moody being heard.

"Diagon Alley?" Edward asked, knowing little more than that it was similar to a market. "I've been dying to get out of here..."

"Oh..." Tonks said, not sure if she could allow the blond to come with her. She didn't have any official business, but that didn't mean she wanted to babysit. Along with that, with the recent state of the area was in pretty bad condition. It could turn dangerous at any given moment. Tonks passed a look towards her mentor, who didn't seem to think anything of the idea.

Moody looked towards the blond, "I don't suppose you have a wand?"

Edward sighed, "Dumbledore put one in with the rest of the supplies, though I won't be using it if I can avoid it."

The older man grinned. "I'd expect a model student such as yourself would want to do well in his classes," he said sarcastically, "And most lessons do require the use of a wand."

Edward frowned, "I said _if_ I could avoid it." Then, a thought occurred to him, one that put him in a hopeful mood. "What if I happen to be a muggle?" the blond questioned, using a casual tone that left the answer open for debate. He wouldn't mind being a muggle. In fact, he would very much enjoy not having a single magical bone in his body. However, if that were the case it would make his assignment all the more difficult. Ed wondered why hadn't he thought of this before? Perhaps the majority of his mind was simply elsewhere.

"Then the wand would be nothing more than a prop," Moody grumbled, "and you would just prove to be far more trouble than you're worth."

"Well then, let's hope I'm a muggle," Edward smiled. "Then, maybe the old man in charge will send me home." He wondered, only briefly, which old man was _really_ in charge of this assignment. Fuhrer Grumman, or Albus Dumbledore? He imagined the latter to be highly unlikely. If the old wizard only knew what his kind were _truly_ capable of, all the horrible secrets they kept sealed tightly shut.

And even the greater secrets that were only obtainable by passing through the Gate of Truth. The ones few in his world ever stumbled upon...

Both Edward and Moody nodded in perfect agreement, Tonks looking rather amused in her spot at the table. Maybe the teen wouldn't be such bad company to bring along. It seemed now at least he was trying to bring some humor into their conversation, even if it was mostly made up of sarcasm.

"Well, if you're coming then hurry up. I wont wait around all day," Tonks said, bringing the attention back to her before shooing the alchemist out of the dining room, much to his own annoyance. He came back seconds later and found himself leaning against the wall waiting for Tonks.

"That was quick," the witch commented. Edward scoffed in return.

"I only went to put up my book. Are you coming, old man?" Edward asked, looking towards Moody. He shook his head.

"No," Moody scoffed, not particularly taking a liking to being called 'old man.' Edward could only smirk, knowing exactly what was causing the Auror to make that particular expression. "I have certain things I need to do. Actual work, mind you."

"Oh, is that right?" Edward quirked, letting out a chuckle. "I never would have guessed." The alchemist shrugged just before Moody scowled and waved them off, a bit of anger showing through the gesture. Tonks sighed. The two were truly hopeless.

"Take my arm," Tonks instructed, and Edward paled. The Auror raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong?"

Edward glared at the witch, "We can't just walk there?"

"If we had more time, then we could take a car, but I'm in a bit of a hurry," Tonks explained, taking to a curious expression. It wasn't wise to be out past dark, and it was already well past lunch. "Why?"

"Dumbledore brought me here that same way..." Edward explained, his expression telling the rest of the tale without words. It was clear that Edward Elric did not particularly enjoy Apparition.

Tonks scratched her head, "We could take the Floo, I suppose."

"Floo?"

"Yeah, the fireplace. It's much easier on the stomach," Tonks inquired.

"You... can travel... using the fireplace?" Edward asked, taking the pace of his words slowly. He didn't recall receiving any information regarding the use of a fireplace to travel from one destination to another. It sounded ridiculous.

"Of course. This way," Tonks said, and lead Edward out of the dining room. On the first landing, they darted into the drawing room. Edward took a quick look around before following Tonks over to the fireplace, peeking through the drapery that hid the room's tall windows and the view of the street outside. It all seemed much too dreary compared to Amestris. Averting his gaze, his eyes searched the large room and found Tonks standing impatiently next to a large fireplace.

"What's that?" Edward pointed to a large tapestry. Tonks followed his gaze and gave a small shrug.

"Nothing you need to worry about." Tonks reached into the folds of the purple vest she was wearing and pulled out a small pouch filled with a shimmering silver powder. "It's just an old family tree."

"I see." Edward briefly wondered if there were any records of his own family. To be perfectly honest, he'd never taken the time to look into it. The past few years of his life had flown by so quickly...

"You should probably go first," Tonks said, and held out the pouch for Edward to take. He did so and watched as she went ahead and lit the fireplace, blanketing the room in a soft, warm glow.

Edward glared pointedly at the powder in his hands. "What exactly am I suppose to do with this?"

"Just toss it in the fire. When the flames turn green say: Diagon Alley," Tonks instructed, pushing the blond forward. An exasperated look replaced the glare Edward once held.

"...that's ridiculous."

Tonks glared at the shorter blond. "Just do it already. If you don't fancy the Floo, we can always Apparate(1). Your choice."

Grumbling, Ed took a fist full of the powder and tossed it into the flames. He was surprised and left utterly speechless when the flames crackled and changed its shade from orange to a bright green.

"Are you... sure about this?"

Tonks rolled her eyes. "Go on, stop wasting time."

Regardless of the voice inside his head screaming for him to stay away, Edward Elric stepped into the flames. "Diagon Alley."

All that Ed could then make sense of were a mix of blurred images, homes and people he would probably never see again. They spun around him, making him feel quite dizzy. He was tossed onto the ground shortly after with a loud thump. Pushing himself up, he shot a quick glance at his surroundings. There were people staring at him. He was in a bar or pub of some sort.

No more than a few seconds later did Tonks make an appearance, having a much better landing than the alchemist. She looked him over, a smile tugging at her lips. "You've got dirt all over your clothes. Took a bit of a fall, did you?"

The blond scowled, dusting his clothes off furiously. It was her own fault for refusing to take practical means of transportation. Edward saw nothing at all wrong with walking, or taking a car even.

"Where are we?" Ed asked, keeping his gaze calm. He walked just behind Tonks, watching as she paused to wave at a man behind the counter drying off a mug before being lead through a door that opened into a small ally. Much to the alchemist's annoyance, they came face to face with a brick wall. _Does she even know where we're going?_

Tonks pulled out her wand, pointing it at the brick wall in front of them. "We've just passed through the Leaky Cauldron. The entrance to Diagon Alley is just here."

"_Through the wall_?"

"Precisely. Watch this." With a few taps by her wand on the bricks, the wall pulled away. Brick by brick it opened, revealing a scene that Edward very much did not expect. The pictures and text about Diagon Alley described it as a busy place, always packed and full of witches and wizards stocking up on supplies. What was before him were near empty streets. Posters of Death Eaters covered most shop windows. The few people who were walking the streets weren't out for long, quickly making their way to their destination before scurrying off. "Here we are."

There was a new edge to Tonk's voice. Sadness.

Edward Elric simply stared at his new surroundings, straining to keep his composure and hide his shock. Regardless of its current state, the fact remained that this entire area was hidden behind the charmed brick wall of a pub. "This is insane."

1. Let's just say that there are so many ways to spell this word and it's confusing the heck out of me. If it's misspelled, I'm very sorry.

**OKAY, so that's it for this chapter! I already have the next one planned out, so it shouldn't be long before I get to posting it. I am leaving to go on vaca today though thursday, so unless I miracously get internet while I'm there the next chapter will have to wait until I get back. I shall be working on it, though!**

**Thanks again to all of those who continue to support me with your kind reviews and favorites/follows! I appreciate it so very much. As an author, the best thing in the world is to know that people are actually reading what you worked hard to write. **

**I hope this chapter was to your liking! Until next time...**

**Ja Ne~**


	6. Evaluation: Part 1

*01-07-14 Edit

~The updates to these chapters continue. If I continue at this rate I may get through all the chapters and post another soon. Keep an eye out :) When I finally post the new chapter I will let you guys know what's been going on and where I plan on taking this fic :)

*I don't really change the previous author's notes much, if I edit them at all. So if you have already gone through this once, just skip that.

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><p><strong>AuThOr NoTe: I do apologize for the time between updates.. It's horrible, I know! Thanks so much for sticking with this fic for as long as all of you have. I appreciate it very much!<strong>

**IMPORTANT! Also, I made an idiot mistake last chapter. I forgot about the Alley being pretty much deserted right now because of rogue Death Eaters on the loose and everyone being paranoid idiots. No offense meant, but seriously... if Voldy wanted you dead, he would find you whether you were hiding in a hole or taking your big annual shopping spree. Yeah... I fixed that. Also, I made it so that Ed already has a wand provided to him by Dumbledore. I didn't really want to do this, but I'm pretty sure Olivander is kidnapped already at this point in the story and it's not the most important detail so I'm not going to take the time to plan a whole new trip to wherever the other wand shops are. It's also just not the same unless Olivander is there being eccentric. It's just too complicated. Sorry!  
><strong>

**I hope you enjoy! :)  
><strong>

"Blah blah," regular speech.

_Italicized sentences_ - thoughts

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><p>Previously~<p>

"Through the wall?"

"Precisely. Watch this." With a few taps by her wand on the bricks, the wall pulled away. Brick by brick it opened, revealing a scene that Edward very much did not expect. The pictures and text on Diagon Alley described it as a busy place, always packed and full of pedestrians. What was before him were near empty streets. Posters of Death Eaters covered most shop windows. The few people who were walking the streets weren't out for long, quickly making their way to their destination before scurrying off. "Here we are."

Edward Elric simply stared at his new surroundings, straining to keep his composure and hide his shock. Regardless of its current state, the fact remained that this entire area was hidden behind the charmed brick wall of a pub. "This is insane."

* * *

><p>Tonks lead Ed down the desolate streets. It felt surreal; gray. He imagined color, people, odd looking hats that wouldn't look right in this era. Anything but this, a dull fraction of a place that use to be so full of life. It was depressing, and even Tonks seemed to have lost her spirit, replaced by an edge of something Ed couldn't place. Fear? Worry?<p>

"Are you listening to me?"

Edward blinked, looking up to see a half amused looking Tonks tapping her foot impatiently. "What?"

Tonks sighed, "I asked if you had anything specific in mind while we were here. I'm not going to wait around all day while you walk around in a daze. You know, it's not safe." Her eyes darted around their surroundings hesitantly. "Not anymore."

He scoffed, his eyes trailing Tonks'. "I'm not walking around in a daze. And we'll be fine." He spoke those last words with confidence, getting a much better vibe walking these streets than he did many more back in Amestris. It was definitely depressing, but it didn't hold that same sense of danger. "And to answer your question- yes, I do have a few places in mind."

The pink haired girl looked down at him. "Well?"

Ed sighed. Really, he figured if she was in such a rush then they could just talked while they walked. More importantly, the blond wouldn't feel heartbroken if they only got what Tonks needed and then left. The alchemist's goal was mostly to get out of the stuffy confines of Grimmauld Place, not go on a shopping spree. "A bookstore or two," Ed began, motioning for Tonks to lead the way so they weren't just standing there, bickering in the middle of the street like targets. "And perhaps Madam Malkin's. Though, I'll probably have to just transmute some fabric if she doesn't offer anything besides robes."

Tonks blinked in surprise, not expecting the blond to know much, if anything, about Diagon Alley. "So you do know a little more than you let on. Good to hear." She smirked at the face the blond alchemist made.

"There were a list of shops in one of the books Dumbledore made me read," Ed muttered, stalking off ahead of his companion stubbornly. Only moments later did Tonks mention that he missed a turn, and was heading down the street leading to Knocturne Alley. "I knew that."

"Sure you did," Tonks mused, and continued leading him further down the odd looking streets. And the further they went, the more Ed found himself sticking closer to the witch. It wasn't that he felt he would get himself lost. Central Command alone was nearly twice the size of this area and he found his way around just fine. No, it was simply that every step he took down these stone paved streets felt... wrong. He wondered if it felt that way to muggleborns and their parents.

They were slowing their pace, Tonks mentioning that their first stop was just up ahead, when Edward became curious enough to ask, "How long has it been like this?"

"Like this?" Tonks echoed, her mind elsewhere, not entirely focused on the conversation. Ed had his hands deep in his pockets, the white gloves barely visible, eyes focused ahead of him. Somewhere nearby, Ed heard a door slam shut. His eyes snapped in the direction of the noise, but he saw no one.

"Desolate," he replied. "Unwelcoming. Leaving you with the feeling that someone's watching your every move." He paused, letting the mood sink. "Like that."

Tonks frowned. "Since the Ministry finally accepted that You-Know-Who had returned. It wasn't so bad before, you see, because Death Eaters were lying low. But then, they kidnapped Ollivander-"

"The wand maker?"

Tonks nodded in response. "That poor man, he was the best we had..." She paused, collecting herself. "Since then, the Death Eaters have become much more confident, taking raids every now and again." Tonks scowled, and Ed could tell she was remembering something unpleasant. "More and more are going missing, receiving threats. No one feels quite safe anymore."

"It's so depressing," the blonde admitted, and something in his tone caused Tonks to reveal a sad little smile before stopping in front of a tall, snowy white building. Looking up, it was easy to see that it towered above all of its surroundings. It took everything the alchemist had not to gape at its enormous size. "This is a... bank, right?"

"Yeah, Gringotts. I've got to pick up a package, and then we're off to do your shopping." Tonks lead the way inside, through two large doors and finally into the large, marbled floor lobby. Ed couldn't help but stare in amazement. Just the lobby alone put all of Amestris' banks to shame. His eyes kept averting to either side of him, blinking at the odd looking creatures stationed behind the long rows of counters that followed the walls. _Goblins_, _this can't be real. Maybe they're actually some form of chimera...  
><em>

He watched wordlessly as Tonks walked up to one of the counters, conversing softly with the _goblin_ on the other side. Tonks showed him a very authentic looking piece of parchment and the goblin nodded and reached for something behind the counter. Ed heard something click and then noticed that the goblins hand was no longer empty. In it now he held a leather pouch bound with a bright red cord.

"There should also be another parcel," Tonks said sternly, just as the Goblin began to raise a bony, dismissive hand. He skimmed the parchment again and sighed, sinking from whatever he sat on and disappearing from view. He returned a few minutes later with a small, blue box. The goblin handed it over with a grunt and sent Tonks on her way, motioning for the customer behind her to step forward.

"That's all I needed, let's go," the witch instructed with a smirk, leading Edward back outside just as quickly as they'd entered. Once outside, she untied the cord bound to the leather pouch, taking out a few coins before handing it over to Edward. He looked at her questioningly.

"What's-"

"It's your pay. Well, sort of." Tonks explained, pocketing the coins she took out into her vest. "Except for what I took out, this is an amount Dumbledore and that other man, Grunman was it?" Edward nodded hesitantly and she continued. "Yes, well, they decided this should be enough pay to get you by comfortably while you're here. I don't know what you expected to buy anything with, seeing as I'm sure you've had no wizard currency until just now."

Ed's face reddened, realizing that the witch had a valid point. The thought of money hadn't even crossed his mind. He was accustomed to being able to use the same currency all throughout Amestris. And where currency wasn't available, he payed for services in favors. Quickly, before Tonks could tell just how embarrassed he was, he stashed the pouch away in his pants pocket and found a sudden interest in the patterns of the cracked pavement under his feet. Tonks grinned, but said nothing more on the matter.

She patted him lightly on the back, startling the blond. "Come on, we haven't got all day."

Walking quickly away from Gringotts, Tonks lead Edward further into Diagon Ally. They passed a few shady looking stalls, each managed by witches and wizards with watchful, yet hesitant eyes. Ed had to force his line of sight to remain straight, the expressions on the stall owners' faces cold and dispirited. He couldn't help but wonder if these were the effects of a war happening in the present, or the beginnings of a terrible one soon to come.

Ed's mind drifting back to his experiences in Amestris, he came to the conclusion that no matter where it was, the effects of war were all the same. Horrible, targeting everyone and never showing any mercy.

His train of thought stopped when the two arrived at one of the many bookstores in the area, though one of the few brave enough to still welcome in customers. Just from a quick glance, Edward could tell the place was empty except for the owner. It wasn't the most welcoming of shops, the dim lights inside doing little to make the shabby exterior look any better.

Tonks caught the calculating look in Ed's eyes and nearly whispered, "It doesn't look like much, but you're bound to find something of interest here than any place else. The other bookstores still open sell little more than standard, Ministry approved core subjects."

Edward nodded curtly, "I'll keep that in mind." The two entered without further conversation.

Once inside, Edward felt a moment of relief. If there was one thing magic couldn't change, it was the smell of books. The older, the stronger, and the odors in the air brought promise. There would be many books worthy of his time-or so he hoped-if only he could find them. A small grin appeared on his lips, and he was instantly reminded of all the time spent in libraries back in Amestris. The hours of searching for information on the Philosophers stone. The sleepless nights and lack of proper nutrition, and the nagging by Alphonse who always insisted he get more rest.

How he missed those days. And how he wished Al was healthy enough to be here now.

Ed immediately walked past the first few rows of books, where the newer volumes would most likely be kept, and headed straight to the back corner of the store. He hadn't even bothered to find the clerk, having a feeling that if he dug around on his own he was bound to find something. He stopped in front of a row of books on the back wall, pulling one out at random. _Magical Beast and Where to Find Them_.

He half frowned. It wasn't what he was looking for, but it might be of interest. _Better to know what lurks in the shadows of this world than to be surprised by one when it's too late. _

Without another thought, his hands were back to searching. He hadn't even realized that Tonks wasn't beside him anymore. Instead, she was chatting with a sallow looking, dark haired man behind the counter. As far as the alchemist was concerned, he was alone and pleased to be given his privacy.

About an hour later, Tonks broke off the conversation she was having with the owner. She smiled-a halfhearted smile that was nothing more than polite-and walked past the first few shelves of books to find Ed. She hadn't heard a single peep from the teen since they entered the store. She hadn't expected to find him sitting in the middle of a haphazardly formed circle of leather and parchment. His back was to her, but she could tell he was hunched over in concentration.

"Edward?" She called. The blonde didn't move an inch. She tried again, louder. He held up a single finger. _Wait._ She sighed, her foot began tapping impatiently. A few more seconds passed. Ed took something -a notebook it seemed- out from his pocket, scribbled a few hasty words, and then put the book down.

"Sorry," he muttered. "I didn't want to loose my thoughts." With a stiffened yawn, he stood and stretched his arms upward. Tonks resisted the urge to laugh. It was amazing how relaxed he could be. She was sure the little bookworm could be in the middle of a war zone and still have his nose shoved into the pages of some sort of text.

"I hope you don't expect to buy _all_ of those," she observed lightly. He shook his head, as she expected. Bending back down, he picked up a small pile of four or five and clutched them close to his body, an exuberant look in his eyes.

"Just these," he said, momentarily placing them on a small table so he could quickly replace the other books scattered on the floor. Within minutes, he had his hands once again wrapped firmly around the stack of books, clinging to them as if they were life support. Tonks had to suppress a fit of laughter. Something about the scene was just... comical.

She let Edward lead the way back to the dark haired man that would give the alchemist a price for the books. She watched curiously as Edward talked the man down from a surprisingly high price to one that was much more moderate. She could tell that Edward was somehow already catching on to their money system.

The man sputtered out a price and Ed grimaced. "You're kidding me, right? I wouldn't pay that much if you offered me twice as much merchandise."

Tonks watched as the man behind the counter seemed to shrink under the weight of the blond's intense golden stare. "The price is perfectly reasonable," the clerk insisted, "Considering the circumstances-"

"The circumstances?" Ed interjected, his brow raised. His eyes darted around the shabby looking shop, the only souls present being Tonks, the clerk, and himself. "I understand that these are dark times, however, you will not attract any business if you attempt to overcharge your only customers."

The clerk scowled, knowing full well that he was not dealing with the average buyer. The infuriating, yet surprisingly intimidating blond was far from a pushover, and was apparently well experienced in the selling and buying of books. "Alright then," the man began, clearing his throat. "I'll offer them to you for-"

"Lower," Edward demanded, his voice dropping into that of a dangerous whisper. The clerk's voice caught in his throat. Just who was this boy?

...

"I can't believe you managed to talk him down so low!" Tonks exclaimed the moment the two were out of earshot, their footsteps increasing in pace as they aimed to put distance between themselves and that store. "He's one of the only wizards in the Ally to sell non-standard subjects. It's almost a monopoly."

"Which is exactly why he bargained with me," the alchemist explained. "His business is suffering, if you couldn't tell. I could see how desolate the place has been lately by the sheer amount of dust covering the books." The bridge of his nose pinched. "This is war. No sane person has a strong enough desire to venture out this far just to buy books for leisurely reading."

"Except for you."

Edward scoffed. "I never claimed sanity."

Tonks smiled, appreciative for once of the blonds humor. Even in this dark place he managed to find a way to bring light through the gloom. "Still have the want to visit Madam Malkin's?"

Ed nodded, following closely behind Tonks with his newly acquired bag of books held tightly. He couldn't wait to see what mysteries lay within the dust coated pages. They walked a good while, passing only a half dozen wanderers on their way there. They all gave Edward the creeps, and he fought the urge to shudder. He let out a sigh of relief when they finally arrived at their destination.

"I'll be quick," the blond promised. And much to Tonk's surprise, he was.

Edward waved off the elder witch as she insisted on getting him fitted for robes. He already had everything he needed back at Grimmauld place, courtesy of one senile old man. He glanced quickly though the woman's wares, looking for anything that he might actually be able to use. All the clothes he packed were straight from Amestris, and although he was loathe to admit it, there wasn't much variety. Sighing, he grabbed a few slacks of various tones of brown and gray and some fabric; greens, dark blues, and of course, red. He would make due with this and be on his way,

"This is quite an odd selection," Madam Malkin commented as he brought his selection to be payed for. Edward scoffed.

"They fit my needs," was all he said in response.

"Do you sew?" The witch asked, her hand brushing over the fabric, wondering just what a boy his age would be doing with so much of the stuff.

"Ha, not at all."

"Didn't think so," she replied, smiling. She peered down at the boy again. He didn't seem the type to have his mother make his clothes, so she took another guess. "I'll bet she's pretty."

Edward stared at the woman, confused. "What, who?"

"The young lady who does your sewing, a girlfriend perhaps?" Madam Malkin chuckled as Edwards face turned a bright, crimson red.

"E-Excuse me? I-I... She's not... I mean I planned on... but then-"

Tonk's interrupted Edwards stammering. "Well, this has been lovely. Pay Madam Malkin now. Yes, that's the correct amount. See you around!" She waved goodbye and pushed the blond out the store, resisting the urge to laugh. They walked in silence for a while, the only conversation quickly being ended by Ed's temper.

"So, is she pretty, then?"

"Shut up."

By the time Edward and Tonks made it back to Grimmauld place, the sun was well on its way to sinking beneath the horizon. They stood at the base of the stairs, the alchemist clutching his stomach with his free arm and forcing his last meal to stay where it was. Tonks held a bemused smile. Much to Edwards distaste, the two were forced to apparate back, as Tonks has the distinct feeling they were being followed. Edward denied this several times, but had no way of swaying the paranoid woman. (1) "Next time, I'm walking."

"Suit yourself, shorty," Tonks remarked, climbing the steps and quickly making her way through the front door. Ed had already paled, his brow twitching. "Let's see how long it takes for those legs to carry you back. It's quite the long walk."

If he wasn't feeling so nauseated, the blond would have done something to show the witch the true strength of his legs. It may have involved getting kicked in the face, or through a window. Either way, she would regret calling him short. For now, he stuck to muttering darkly under his breath as he followed her to the kitchen, where Moody was waiting.

"You're _still_ sitting here, old man? I thought you had work to do." Edward's voice was bitter, a result of his fowl mood. He let his books drop to the floor, none too concerned as they were already packaged neatly in a carry out bag. The Auror merely scoffed in response, reaching within his vest. He pulled out a small vial filled with a pink liquid and tossed it to the teen.

Edward took one glance at the stuff and placed it none too gently on the table. "No thanks." Moody shrugged, pointing his wand in the direction of the counter. Ed flinched as more objects flew his way.

"Coffee, then."

"That I will take," Ed said, sighing. As iffy as he was about consuming anything touched by magic, the coffee was looking very tempting. "Pass the sugar?"

* * *

><p>Time Skip (2) Four (and perhaps a half) days before Hogwarts Express departs from Kings Cross Station.<p>

* * *

><p>It was fair to say that Edward was a heavy sleeper. It was only when something bothered his senses that his rest would be interrupted. As such, it was no surprise to the blond to discover upon waking that all of his belongings: books, notes, other haphazards... had been neatly packed into his trunk. He was aroused from his deep slumber before the sun had even risen to the sounds of uneven footsteps intruding his room, but he ignored it. If there was one thing that Edward Elric recognized by sound, it was the mismatched steps of prosthetics. And only one Order member possessed one. Alastor Moody.<p>

There was absolutely no reason why the alchemist should pay him any attention at that hour. He would wait until he woke on his own to figure out what the old man was up to. Noon sounded lovely.

When the sun finally made its way to a more acceptable position, Ed forced himself out of the comfort of his temporary bed with a groan. His automail was stiff from lack of continuous use, and his muscles already felt the urge for exercise. The second he got the chance, namely enough room, there would be drills. He couldn't wait. All this time bound up in one place was giving him anxiety and making him restless. To say he was grumpy was an understatement.

"I really hate magic...," Edward grumbled, quickly scanning the inside of his trunk to make sure all of his research was properly put away. If even one page of notes were misplaced he would be fuming later on. He slammed it close with frustration.

_It would have made more sense for me to pack my own things. __But since when has anything in this part of the world been logical?  
><em>

Scowling, Edward made quick work of looking presentable. He worked his hair into a ponytail and changed into a new set of pants, covering his automail with a long sleeved shirt and pair of white gloves. He made his way down into the kitchen, his steps heavy and strategically placed to make as much noise as possible. He would have his revenge.

As he took a seat at the table, he was surprised to see more faces than usual. He was getting use to the small company of Tonks and Moody. This morning he was joined by three more. Arthur Weasley, Remus Lupin, and another he did not recognize. He was pale, yet cloaked in darkness from his head down to his feet with hair that could use a nice grooming and eyes that were use to breaking the contact between others and his emotions.

"Ah, Edward," Arthur greeted, using his wand to send a plate of food and cup of coffee his way. A suggestion from Moody, no doubt. Edward frowned in response. "Good morning to you, lad. It's been a few days hasn't it?"

Ed nodded briskly, pouring a good amount of sugar into his coffee, not even bothering to use a spoon to scoop it out. He could already feel the need for caffeine kicking in. This would be a long morning, he could tell. "Who's that?"

His address was towards the dark shadow sitting near the corner, a cup of tea well past cooled neglectfully held in his hands. He raised his head, observing the blond with interest.

"Severus Snape," The man responded. "Potions master. I have been given the pleasurable task of pre-enrollment instruction and evaluation before you are to being your... _mission_." He gazed across at Edward with a doubtful look, unsure what to make of the teen he was presented with. He knew the boy's background well enough, but whether or not he would preform as promised was still to be determined.

Ed sighed, exaggerating a yawn. "Lovely. Anything else you would like to tell me?" He shot a look at Arthur, who passed the boy a nervous smile. How he always knew there was more to be told was a mystery to him. Beside Arthur, Lupin grinned.

"Yes actually," Arthur affirmed. "Today will be your last day here. This evening you will be coming with me to my home to be introduced to everyone else, including Harry Potter."

"So that explains why the old man took the liberty of packing my things," Edward accused, sending a dirty look towards Moody. He seemed surprised, a throaty laugh escaping him.

Moody leaned forward, grinning mischievously. "I'll give you credit for this one, boy. I'd though I could be sneaky about it, but it seems not to be so." Ed smiled in return.

"You've got to try harder than that. Your footsteps are the easiest to recognize."

Moody seemed to take this banter as a challenge. "We shall see, then."

Severus sighed, drawing the attention back to himself. "I'd think our time today is precious, lets do our best not to waste it." As he said this he found a pair of golden eyes glaring at him, the owner of which had just begun to shovel breakfast into his mouth. As much as he wanted to get out of Grimmauld Place, he didn't see the harm in having a casual conversation. Before taking another bite of his meal, Ed found he didn't even have all that much of an appetite.

Setting down his fork, Ed took the time to level his eyes with the potions master. He drained the rest of his coffee and then asked, "What's first?"

Snape~

Dumbledore, for the better part of most, did a fair job at employing staff for his many side projects. It was his most recent endeavor, however, that concerned him. To think that he intended to hire a sort of body guard to blend in with the students of Hogwarts and watch over young Harry Potter was already a shocking discovery. When the news carried around to him that the one to be employed was a sixteen year old _Amestrian_ muggle, well, that was another matter entirely.

_He is more than capable_, the Headmaster insisted. _And the enemy will never expect his abilities._

Yet even as he he researched the young man's background, even as he observed the obvious traits of determination, his intense eyes; Severus Snape was not convinced. He needed physical proof that the blond haired soldier was prepared for this task.

And so it was him, the most skeptical of the Order, that was given the responsibility of Edwards final evaluation. Even as he loathed it, he accepted his part. When he was done with the boy, there would have to be no doubt that Edward could perform as expected. If he failed, the whole mission would be scrapped.

Now as he sat in the dimly lit kitchen of Grimmauld place, his cold eyes met evenly with the golden sun of Edwards, he felt a flicker of something quite unexpected. _Hope._

"Why don't we start with... the basics."

Edward had accepted eagerly, more than ready to show the Wizards just who they were dealing with.

With a slow nod, Severus stood and lead the small group into the drawing room where a large table had been set near fireplace, parallel to the large windows. Around the table were six chairs, and on top was a large stack of parchment and an ornate hour glass. The group noticed the sigh coming from Edward. He knew what was coming.

"An exam..." he muttered, soft enough to only be caught by Lupin standing behind him.

Severus took the seat nearest the parchment. Without pause, he reached into his robes and pulled out a large packet bound together. "This is a compilation of course material from first through fourth year. Answer as much as you can within the next two hours. You are required to correctly answer sixty percent of the questions correctly in order to be tested on fifth and sixth year course material. Any questions?" The packet was pushed in front of Edward, along with a quill, ink, and parchment. The alchemist groaned, the professor unsure of what to make of it. Whether he was unprepared or simply lazy would be determined after the results.

"Let's get this over with," Edward muttered, picking up the quill with distaste. What did Wizards have against pens?

Severus flipped over the hour glass and watched as Ed opened to the first page, not hesitating to begin marking answers. A few minutes into the test and Severus couldn't help himself from raising an eyebrow. The alchemist did not hesitate or second guess himself, as most students did. Students that had years to master coursework... The potions master watched closely as Edward quickly made his way through the packet.

The silence through the first hour was deadening to all but Severus and Edward. Edward was occupied by the relentless series of question after question, both multiple choice, and written response. Severus never took his eyes off the boy, his chin resting on his palm. Once the sand drained to the bottom, he quickly turned it over without removing his locked gaze. Moody's eye spun wildly in anticipation, waiting for anything to happen. His false leg twitched impatiently, and Tonks found herself unable to hide the grin on her face. Remus and Author spoke softly with each other at the very end of the table, their voices no more than a whisper. They were just as eager to see how well Edward performed. If he did well, the other four adults would be much more involved with the Alchemist's evaluation.

Another twenty minutes passed, the silence broken by the abrupt noise of the packet being closed. Arthur looked on in disbelief. The last thing he expected was for Edward to get through the whole packet within the two hours of allowed time. Severus smirked, reaching within his robes to retrieve an identical packet that was neatly tied shut with red twine. The key, Edward guessed.

"Have fun with that..." Edward remarked, taking a moment to stretch. His lips were set in a deep frown, his mood steadily growing worse with time. Reading for days on end, tireless research, false leads, exhausted travels... he would pick them all before he chose to willingly take examinations. They were boring and pointless in his mind. Knowledge was meant to be tested by application, not by answering trivial questions on paper.

_Application. _Edward shuddered at the through. His eyes fell on Severus Snape, busy marking his way through the exam. In this one case, he dreaded application of his knowledge. He read through the material as requested, but he had put off actually attempting any form of magic. The longer he lived magic free, the better he would feel. And the longer he could hope he was nothing more than a scientist.

Severus ignored Edward as his fingers began to strike against the table's surface. His entire focus was on finding the results of this first evaluation, and each moment left the Potions master more and more conflicted. Nearly every question was marked correct. It should have been impossible, especially at the rate which the alchemist was moving through each section. By the time he reached the end, there were all of four questions marked incorrect, each of which he was sure Edward missed just to piss him off. There were even snide little remarks by each wrongly marked answer, the last being, "_The ridiculousness of this situation is killing me. Why the hell is this even important?_"

That particular question had been a multiple choice under the Transfiguration subsection, asking for the correct spell to perform the classic mouse into teacup exercise. Edward was not amused.

Severus was snapped out his thoughts when Edward slammed his fist down, creating a very effective attention grabber. "Are you going to stare at it all day, or are you going to give me my results?"

The potions master sneered. "I see your patience isn't nearly as advanced as your intellect, Elric." Ed grinned.

"Guess that means I passed." He was practically glowing with pride, the others looking on with amusement at the face he was making, his eyes squinted and his grin lopsided.

"It would seem," was all Severus said in response.

Arthur turned expectantly towards his ally. "How did he do then? What were his results?"

"Weren't you listening?" Severus took out yet another packet from his robes, causing the young alchemist to wonder just how much room he had to spare under that thing. "He passed," was repeated. "Four incorrect answers."

"Only four?" Arthur muttered, shocked.

"Well done," said Remus, giving the blond an encouraging smile.

Next to her mentor, Tonks gaped. "Who knew you were so bright, shorty!"

"What did you just say?" Edward shouted across the table, enraged. His victory over the exam already forgotten. "I'm not short, damn it!" Across from the alchemist, Severus allowed himself to smirk. At the very least, the kid was amusing. He cleared his throat.

Severus once again gathered the attention back towards himself; his drawling voice, though soft, was easily recognized as impatient. "Let's move on to the next section. We haven't the leisure to waste the whole day pining over Elric's intelligence, or of his lack of stature."

The moment the comment was out, Eds temper was flaring. He glared at the one who dared call him short, and gave him a look that promised revenge. "Just for that, I'm going to take my sweet time on this next exam. Or, perhaps I'll write all my answers in code. For your own pleasure, of course."

The look between the two were that of pure loathing.

"Do that, Elric, and I will expel you before you are even enrolled." Severus and Edward smirked simultaneously. The two would have entirely too much fun torturing each other.

* * *

><p>(1) I don't even remember if one can travel <em>out<em> of the order via floo, not sure if that's a big order no-no. But, I wanted to be kind to Ed's stomach. I decided not to be totally off cannon with this, however, and decided just to insert a moment of Ed-pity for this part. He will just have to deal with it. Wouldn't want any death eaters randomly stumbling out of their fireplace yelling "Crucio!", now would we?

(2) So... when Ed left Amestris it was stated as about a week before term started. That was a loose guesstimate, it was more like 8-10 days. So he has been at Grimmauld Place for about five days, and will be at the Burrow for about four. Tentatively of course. I'm not that great with time management, sorry. It's all a work in progress. - Talking about my brain as well. Haha..ha

* * *

><p><strong>Author Note:<strong> **Short and sweet because I'm in calculus atm and dont have much time. Sorry this took so long. Next chapter should really start the fun :)**

**I'm going to love Sev and Elric's relationship. Hehehe...**

**Until next time, Ja Ne~**


	7. Evaluation: Part 2

*01-07-14 Edit

~The updates to these chapters continue. If I continue at this rate I may get through all the chapters and post another soon. Keep an eye out :) When I finally post the new chapter I will let you guys know what's been going on and where I plan on taking this fic :)

*I don't really change the previous author's notes much, if I edit them at all. So if you have already gone through this once, just skip that.

* * *

><p><strong>AuThOr NoTe: Okay! So, it's time for me to be realistic with myself. As much as I love writing and giving others the chance to read the crazy ideas inside my head, I'm not going to be able to update as much as I like. I plan on finishing all my stories... the only problem is that I suck with finishing them. This is my senior year of highschool. I've gotten through the bumpy part and I don't think I will have to take any finals - thank goodness! - but I do have to prepare for college and prom and, well, life...<br>**

**Here's what I plan on doing: I can actually work on these during my free time at school. :) Last year this website was blocked by the wifi offered in my school. This year it's not.  
><strong>

**If anyone would like to collaborate with me on this story to try and help me sort through my ideas for this fic, I would greatly appreciate any help I can get. So perhaps a Beta-reader type person, yeah!  
><strong>

**This would probably get the chapters out much faster and hopefully help organize my mind... it's a mess when it comes to my fics. They're like babies to me, but goodness they can be frustrating!  
><strong>

**That's about it I think! PM if you would like to imput any ideas or just help me out :D  
><strong>

"Blah blah," regular speech.

_Italicized sentences_ - thoughts

* * *

><p>Previously~<p>

Severus once again gathered the attention back towards himself; his drawling voice, though soft, was easily recognized as impatient. "Let's move on to the next section. We haven't the leisure to waste the whole day pining over Elric's intelligence, or of his lack of stature."

The moment the comment was out, Eds temper was flaring. He glared at the one who dared call him short, and gave him a look that promised revenge. "Just for that, I'm going to take my sweet time on this next exam. Or, perhaps I'll write all my answers in code. For your own pleasure, of course."

The look between the two were that of pure loathing.

"Do that, Elric, and I will expel you before you are even enrolled." Severus and Edward smirked simultaneously. The two would have entirely too much fun torturing each other.

* * *

><p>Several hours had passed before Severus Snape was finally convinced that the Elric boy had enough knowledge to pass as a transfer student. By the end, he was actually convinced that the blond could take his exit exams now and pass each with flying marks. In theory. Of course, he would never admit to that. It was much more enjoyable to torture the alchemist.<p>

Much to Edwards disappointment, however, the actual written test took longer than he would have liked. It included much more advanced content than the previous test, so simply recalling information that he had read was going to be impossible. Scenario after scenario was thrown in, things he never imagined could happen in the mortal world, yet he still had to answer each question. Even worse, it had to be right. He had to resist the urge to crumple up the exam on more than several occasions. He was sure the Potions Master wouldn't take too kindly to the packet being thrown at his face.

"Please tell me that was the last one..." Edward grumbled as he put the quill down. Severus smirked as he took the packet from the boy, looking over his answers intently.

"Don't tell me you're already tired, Elric." Severus' eyes were filled with sarcasm. Edward was unamused, scoffing loudly in response. "The next part of your evaluation will be verbal, and then physical. We must be sure you can interact with the wizard community without drawing attention to yourself, and then we must be sure you can put up a decent fight."

The grin that spread across Edward's face was menacing, yet his eyes were filled with both excitement and humor. "You will be the one giving me that final _evaluation_, correct?"

Severus raised an eyebrow. The squirt actually _wanted_ the chance to dual against him. The Potions Master nodded carefully, taking special care not to forget to keep an eye on this one.

...

And so the questions began.

...

It was then that the other Witches and Wizards joined into the torturing- er- testing, of Edward Elric. They started with simple questions. What was his name, his lineage, where did he transfer from? Who were his parents, was he a pure-blood, half-blood, or muggle born? How long was he staying, how did he feel about Voldemort, the war, Harry Potter?

It was Severus who asked the latter question, to which Edward had to take special care not to lace his words with a sarcastic edge. "Besides the fact that he is a sociopath murderer, I have no opinion of him yet. He's a stranger, and I don't take the words of others as my own."

Moody grunted in response. "So, you don't read the Daily Prophet, I take it?" Of course they knew he didn't, but the scenario was likely to come up.

"I've skimmed a few, but press tends to be bias and sorting through what's fact and opinion is annoying," Edward responded simply, shrugging. Moody barked out laughter, ending the short outburst with a grunt.

It continued from there to test out the alchemist's new life story. He was born in Germany, yet home schooled in the rural parts of England. He and his brother were unaware _magic _existed until Edward turned eleven, yet he had no desire to attend Hogwarts because of his younger brother.

"Explain this further, if you would," Arthur coaxed. This would be the first time any of the Order heard the boy's pieced together background. They had to be sure it was believable and without too many loop holes.

"My mother was very ill when my brother and I were young. Our father left to continue his research on the Philosopher's Stone, hoping to find a way to cure her. She passed away soon after, yet our father never found out and we didn't see him for years. Turns out he was more a Wizard than an Alchemist than our family was lead to believe." Edward paused here. "When I got the letter, I refused to leave my brother alone."

"Yet you still learned some advanced form of alchemy?" Moody questioned, skeptical of where the boy was taking his story. Edward grinned.

"A few years before I found out about magic, and after our mother passed away, my brother and I sought out a tutor. She was an old colleague of my dad and shared some of his research theories. He left a bunch of notes and books behind when he disappeared, branching from both science and magic. The magic went ignored, but we pursued the science. Our teacher had the same mindset. Using both we advanced our skills to their current level."

Severus tapped his fingers on the wooden table. He was thinking hard, trying to find a crack in his woven web of lies. The best alibi always contained some truth, however, and he was also paying close attention to any mention of his family and childhood. "How do you explain why few know of this powerful, yet completely muggle science?"

Edward frowned, he could tell what Severus was trying to do. And although it was necessary, it was still annoying. "When I was really little, my mother always told us stories of her great, great, great - well you get the idea... her grandfather, the alchemist Nicolas Flamel. I always thought she was kidding. Seems she wasn't. We learned later that he passed down his research through his youngest child who lacked in the magic department and preferred to study the natural sciences. He left it up to her to develop his theories and keep them safe until they could be published and shared with the world. Eventually, they were passed down to my mother for safe keeping, and she shared them with my father."

Tonks looked totally confused, "But Nicolas Flamel is already famous for creating the Philosophers stone, why would he branch off from magic to science after he already gained immortality?"

"He didn't." Edward folded his arms across his chest and propped his legs up on the table. This was getting fun. "It was during the creation of the Philosopher's Stone that he discovered the link between Alchemy and the natural sciences. It was by complete accident that he uncovered the hidden, yet completely vast, storage of energy that flowed beneath the Earth's surface. After that, you can imagine what happened. He was a curious man, after all. No reason why he shouldn't pursue this new art for the sake of further knowledge."

Across the table, Lupin smiled. "You remind me of friends I had during my own schooling at Hogwarts." Professor Snape scowled at the mention of this, but it went by unnoticed. "Two of which were quite good at weaving stories together at a moments notice." Edward beamed on the inside. At least someone appreciated his skills.

"Enough questions," Severus said suddenly, his mood clearly darkened. "You can figure out the other details when the time comes. You have proven your worth as a believable liar, congratulations. Take care not to abuse this particular _talent, _Mr. Elric. Your next evaluation will begin after we break for lunch." With that, he scooted quickly out of his chair and headed for the exit, his robes billowing out behind him. Edward cocked his head to the side, slightly confused by the sudden change in behavior.

"That was strange..." he remarked, rubbing the back of his head habitually. He looked to the others and they simply shrugged.

"Must have been the mention of James and Sirius," Lupin responded. Edward nodded, not really understanding his point but still recognizing the names from his briefing in Amestris. "The old bat never changes."

* * *

><p>Shortly after the Wizards had their fill of hastily made sandwiches and tea, coffee once again for the alchemist, they met in the entry of the old apartment. Snape was still scowling, yet his initial rage seemed to be sated. The others only looked impatient. Edward had been instructed to bring his trunk downstairs, albeit his wand, which should be carried in his holster - an item that fit snugly around his left arm - from now on.<p>

"Where are we going, exactly?" Edward asked, both excited to get out of this stuffy building and curious to see more of the new country he was in. It was Arthur who volunteered answers.

"As I mentioned before, we are going to my home to complete the rest of your evaluation. There isn't nearly enough free space here, and it will be much safer at the Burrow."

_Who names their home 'the Burrow?' _Edward thought, amused, wondering if he should be taking the middle aged man seriously or not. He nodded regardless and motioned to his trunk. "What should I do with this then?" He couldn't picture it being pushed through the floo network, and he dreaded the idea of apparition.

Tonks made her way up to Edward then, holding a very large, very odd looking shoe of some sort. It was thickly laced and smelled of something foul, causing the alchemist to cringe away from the bubble-gum haired witch. "What the hell is that?"

"It's a portkey," Tonks explained. Edward immediately recognized the term, yet dreaded what the witch was about to suggest. "It will take us to the Burrow all at the same time. Whenever we say ready, grab hold of your trunk and then the portkey and hold on tight."

"Great..."

Arthur glanced at the watch on his arm, quickly making a move to get a grip of the shoe-like object. "It's nearly time. Everyone, grab hold before it's too late. Blast the fact that time always seems to run through so quickly."

Startled by the sudden command, Edward fumbled with the handle of his trunk. He gripped it tightly with his right hand and threw his left towards the portkey, weaving his fingers through its laces for a better grip. A second later he felt his feet leave the safety of the floor and felt a gush of wind as the room began to spin. Something tugged him around his naval, reminding him eerily of the hands that came from the gate of Truth. He waited for the sensation to end... yet it seemed to last for an eternity. It took all his will power not to scream as memories of his greatest sin began to flood his mind. He swore he heard the mocking laugh of the one who brought him so much misery, the white ghost of Truth.

_What the hell is going on?_

He didn't notice when the spinning stopped. His eyes were clamped shut and darkness continued to envelope his senses. Even as he began to hear the voices of his party, all he could see were the tiny, clawed hands. The echo of Alphonse's voice was screaming, his body being unwillingly dragged through the gate. Edward couldn't move. His whole body was tense.

The wizards looked down at him worriedly. He did not react the way most did the first time one traveled via portkey. Dizziness and nausea were common, but Edward's reaction startled them all. His gaze was angled towards the ground, his golden bangs limply shielding his eyes from view. The white of his gloves were stained from his clenched grip of the grass and dirt beneath him.

"Elric," Moody growled, trying to shake the boy from his stupor. Edwards eyes snapped open, yet they were foggy and unseeing. "Severus, what the hell is going on?"

"Move aside," Snape demanded, drawing his wand from within the folds of his robe. He sank down on his knees until he was eye to eye with Edward and pointed his wand towards the boy. "_Legilimens_."

As soon as the spell was cast, Snape recoiled, yet he managed to keep the spell in tact. Edwards memories were being forced into his mind, some so terrible he wasn't sure what he was seeing. Death, pain, suffering... and at the base of it all was a sentient white being who merely smiled at him.

It had happened so fast, and with such force he hadn't been able to react. He was absorbed. And then, as quickly as he had been taken over, there was nothing left but a void of white. Severus tried to force the spell deeper, desperate to understand what was happening, but no luck. Some unknown force was blocking his magic, and as he heard what could only be soft laughter, he was forced to withdraw.

Once his vision had cleared and he had regained his composure, the first thing he heard was Edward's scream of rage.

"What did you do!" He demanded, his head throbbing. He had no idea what happened to him. Just after they used the port key something went wrong. He felt trapped, as if his body were torn between two different destinations. And within all the confusion, he caught a glimpse of the last thing he ever wanted to see again... Truth. And now, to make matters worse he opened his eyes to see Severus Snape pointing a wand to his face. Without thinking about the consequences, acting on pure rage and confusion, Edward clapped his hands together and transmuted the very tip of his automail. He knocked Snape to the ground and help the tip of his blade against the man's throat.

He was beyond furious. Yet through all the confusion, he was sure Snape had seen parts of his past, and that unnerved him. All the memories he relived, he knew Snape had witnessed them as well.

Everyone was instantly on guard, wands out and aimed at the two. It had happened so suddenly. One second Edward was stoic, and the next he was launching himself at the Professor with a blade that had ripped from beneath his glove.

"I did nothing, Elric." Snape's voice came out as a hurried snarl. "Get off of me!"

"You used Legilimency on me! You had no right!" The yelling grew more intense, each wizard was frozen and watching carefully. If this progressed much further, they would be forced to stun the alchemist into submission. "Those memories are private!"

"You were under some kind of trance, you insolent boy! I snapped you out of it before it could cause your mind permanent damage," Snape replied, calmer now, yet still angered. Whatever the outcome of today, he would have to figure out what to do with his wrongly obtained - yet obtained none the less - new knowledge of the boy.

"Bastard!" Edward shouted, letting the rest of his rage seep out. He transmuted his automail back to normal, careful not to tear his glove any more than it already was, and allowed Severus room to get up. "_Never_ _do that again_." The Potions Master gave no response, momentarily intimidated by the intensity of Edward's glare.

"We will discuss this later," Snape replied, finally finding his voice. Despite the questions he wanted to ask, he knew from years of experience that now was not the time. Edward glared at the professor, daring him to say anything more on the matter, yet accepting that at this point he didn't have any other choice. He forced himself to store this event in the back of his mind, too much left to do and not enough time to argue about the importance of privacy and how he refused to ever apparate anywhere ever again.

He would also never show them just how shaken he felt. He wouldn't let them see anything more than a frustrated teen that just wanted to get this mission over with as soon as possible.

Edward was silent as he made his way towards his trunk, using his rage to fuel the effort needed to flip it right side up. He must have let go of it sometime before they landed. Glancing up, he noticed they were in a field. The grass around them grew in varied tufts, some of which reached well past the teen's knees. In the distance was a silhouette of a large, dangerously unbalanced building. Ed squinted his eyes, trying to make out more detail, but the sun refused his request.

Muttering darkly to himself, Edward began marching his way through the field, heading towards what he assumed to be the Burrow. He only went a few feet before Arthur stopped him. With a wave of his wand, the trunk lifted from Edward's hand and took off ahead of him. Ed cringed, but said nothing. He wasn't in the mood to argue over the simplicity of carrying his luggage himself, no magic required. Honestly, the last thing he wanted to do was interact with any of these magic wielding bastards.

"I've got that," Arthur said behind him, oblivious to Edward's silent objection. "We won't be meeting with the others until after the last evaluation. Rather not cause a commotion and all that."

"Of course," Edward barked, struggling to keep his temper under control. "Why didn't I see that coming?"

Moody took a step towards Edward, his face set in a scowl. "Calm down, boy! You will duel Severus Snape and then we will meet up with the others. I expect your fit to be over with by then." Sensing the tension, Lupin attempted to get between the two. The last thing he wanted was a quarrel so early in the day. Tonks looked on worriedly.

"My fit?" Edward's voice came out as a hiss. He pushed pass Lupin and Tonks to get closer to the old Auror. "That was no _fit."_

"Then what?"

"I do not need to explain myself to you, old man!"

"_That's enough!" _Snape shouted, his voice inducing immediate silence. "Elric, we are here to continue your evaluation and that is all. Remus, set the arena." Edward scowled, his body radiating intensity.

"How are we doing this, then?" Edward asked. He crossed his arms in front of him, trying his hardest not to poke himself with the wand still tucked up his sleeve. "Are we testing my alchemy, or this almighty magic of yours?"

"Both," replied Snape. Only Edward could tell how hard the wizard was struggling to keep his voice steady. He recognized the shock he was trying to hide. _Good, serves him right for seeing what was never meant for his mind. _The alchemist forced his focus back on his current mentor. "First, we will test the general application of the spells one is expected to know by their sixth year. Then we will see how you do in a wizard duel. Afterwards, you will use alchemy, and we will see just how well it holds up."

"This will be marvelous," Edward said, sarcasm evident even though he was trying to hold himself in check. Snape looked towards him. His eyes shown with a certain kind of mischievousness, filled with dark humor.

"You haven't practiced a single spell, have you?"

"Not one." Ed, despite his sour mood, couldn't help but grin.

A smirk appeared on the Potions Master's face. "Marvelous, indeed."

* * *

><p><strong>Author Noteeee:<strong>

Hi guys~! Long time so see, eh? Sorry that this has been so long between updates. I will say again that life has been some crazy. I've started college. WOW. I'm still not use to it, but at least all of the preparation anxiety is over!

Speaking of college, if anyone happens to be attending LSU, send me a PM.

And in response to what may have been a confusing end to a chapter, don't worry about the suddenness of it all. There will be explanations later on.

I'm starting the next chapter today, and If I have enough inspiration I may even be able to update later tonight or this week. Wish me luck :) Thank you all who have kept up with me so far :)

**XXXXAdded NoteXXXX - This chapter was actually edited a good bit! Thank goodness, eh? Lol Hopefully it makes a bit more sense. I'm trying I promise.**


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